Cleaning and Chopping
Clean the mushrooms. Rinse the mushrooms under running water and then pat them dry with a clean towel or paper towel. Alternately, you could just rub each mushroom cap with a damp paper towel to remove any grime or dirt.
Cut off the stems. The stems of shiitake mushrooms are too tough to eat, so you’ll need to remove them. Turn the mushroom upside down and use a knife to slice the stem right where it meets the bottom of the cap. Save the stems and store them in the freezer to toss into your next stockpot. They’ll add a hearty flavor to your favorite stock recipe.
Cut the mushroom in half for longer-cooking dishes. For roasts, soups, and stews, the mushrooms will have a longer time to cook and won’t need to be cut into small pieces. Simply slice each mushroom in half across the cap. If the halves are still too large for your taste, cut them one more time into quarters.
Slice the mushroom all the way across for sautés. For quick dishes like a stir-fry or a sauté, you’ll want the mushrooms to be cut into smaller pieces. Place the mushroom flat on the cutting board and cut it into even slices all the way across. The slices can be as thin or as thick as you like. If you prefer more mushroom taste in one bite, cut them thickly.
Sautéing
Heat 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil in a pan. Use a medium skillet and drizzle it with about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil. Heat the pan over medium heat. To know when the pan is hot enough, toss a small drop of water into it. If it sizzles, the pan is ready.
Add the mushrooms to the pan. Spread the mushrooms across the pan in a thin layer. Stir them gently to coat all the mushrooms in oil. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper if you want any seasoning.
Cook them for eight to ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the mushrooms to cook until they’re golden brown and tender, which will be about eight to ten minutes. Stir occasionally so that each side of the mushroom is getting cooked evenly.
Add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of water to the pan. Mushrooms lose some of their moisture when cooked, so rehydrate them a little right at the end of cooking by adding 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of water to the pan. Then cook them for two minutes longer.
Remove them from the heat and serve. Pair the mushrooms as a side dish with meat or fish, or mix them in with scrambled eggs or fried rice. You could also allow them to cool and then use them as a salad topping.
Baking
Stack two sheets of aluminum foil on top of each other. Using only one sheet of foil will make your foil packet more susceptible to rips, so tear off two sheets of equal size. They should be large enough that you can place the mushrooms in the middle and still fold all the ends up.
Place 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter on the foil. Separate the butter so that you have two 1-tablespoon (14 g) pieces of butter. Space them a few inches apart on the foil so that it spreads evenly as it begins to melt.
Place the mushrooms in the center of the foil. Add in any other ingredients you want to cook with them, such as sliced onions, tomatoes, or a piece of fish. At this point you can also add seasoning, like salt, pepper, or garlic.
Fold the edges of the foil up together. Fold two opposite edges up until they meet, then pinch them together and roll the joined edges down. Next, roll up the two open ends by folding them each in a few times. This should create a completely sealed packet.
Bake the foil packet for 15 minutes at 350 °F (177 °C). Bake mushrooms alone or with other vegetables for 15 minutes. If you are baking the mushrooms along with meat or fish, you may need to increase the amount of cook time. Open the foil packet carefully and check the meat or fish to be sure it’s cooked all the way through.
Remove the foil packet and open it carefully. Allow the packet to cool slightly before you attempt to open it. The packet will contain hot steam, so be sure to keep your fingers out of the way as you unroll the folds. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a dash of soy sauce.
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