Wild Mushrooms

Mushrooms have a regal history. They were prized for their medicinal properties by the Chinese while Egyptian pharaohs proclaimed them a royal food (doubtless they could grow inside their tombs). The French, clever as always, cultivated them in caves starting in the 17th century. By the late 1800s most of Europe was producing mushrooms on a commercial scale. In this country, Pennsylvania farmers figured out how to better manage production by moving mushrooms indoors to better control humidity and light. Mushrooms aren't considered particularly nutritious mind you, but they do contain some key nutrients including niacin, riboflavin, folate, iron, potassium, and selenium. Dried mushrooms are a good pantry item to have on hand. Most have an intense, often smoky flavor. Combining the strained (through a coffee filter to remove grit) soaking liquid from dried mushrooms with fresh mushrooms creates a rich sauce or broth.

Some of the more popular varieties on the market include cepes or porcini mushrooms, which have a stout stem and a spongy thick cap. They're grown mostly in the northwest and also imported from France and Italy. A porcini's deep and earthy flavor is prized by chefs and worth the occasional splurge for a batch of mushroom risotto. Hen of the Woods, or Maitake, is a Japanese mushroom that resembles the body of a small hen and can be found in many markets. It has a rich and woodsy flavor. Chanterelles range in color from white to bright yellow gold and black. These are difficult to cultivate and are often gathered wild in the Pacific Northwest and the Appalachians. Morels are prized for their intense flavor, which is something akin to a smoked nuttiness. The spongy honey-combed cap is a challenge to clean but well worth the effort.

If you're lucky enough to have access to great wild mushrooms, here are a couple of recipes that make good use of these flavorful acts of nature:

Grilled Shiitake Mushrooms with Buckwheat Soba Noodles

Tomato, Portobellos, and Mozzarella Melts

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