Enchanted by oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms have been enchanting me left and right these days. They seem to be showing up in vegetarian dishes at a bunch of restaurants around here, and each time I have them I fall a little more in love. So when I came across a big display of oyster mushrooms at the grocery store today, I knew I had to have them.
There were a couple factors working against the success of my oyster mushroom experiment. Normally when I pick up a food for the first time, I run it through google to get some preparation tips and ideas. But alas, we don’t yet have internet in our new apartment (and I couldn’t possibly wait until tomorrow!), so I had to go it alone. The other problem was that this was only the second time I’ve used the electric stovetop in the new apartment for anything other than boiling water, so I’m still very unfamiliar with how it heats. Let’s just say last night’s stir-fry managed to be both overcooked and undercooked at the same time.
Despite all obstacles, I decided to plow ahead. I separated the oyster mushrooms (they grow in big clumps all stuck together) and sliced the larger ones so that they’d cook more uniformly. Then I sautéed them in some olive oil until a little browned. I added a chopped up garlic clove when the mushrooms were almost done. I served the mushrooms with nothing but salt and pepper. They were scrumptious.
Their flavor is so… pleasant (I wish I were better at describing flavors) and mild, but my real joy comes from the texture. These mushrooms are firm but not tough (as long as they are cooked correctly - which even I managed to do!), and just play around in your mouth in the nicest way. I can’t wait to have them again.
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POSTED IN: Cooking, Food, Vegetables
7 opinions for Enchanted by oyster mushrooms
WishBoNe
Jan 23, 2008 at 2:09 pm
My favourite type of mushrooms, best when sauteed and a little salt and pepper does the trick :)
Mark’s Daily Apple » Blog Archive » Friday Link Love
Jan 25, 2008 at 11:00 pm
[…] Veggie Chic is Enchanted by Oyster Mushrooms. […]
céline
Jan 26, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I first bought this type of mushrooms because they were the only ones to be produced in the UK (I avoid buying food that comes from too far away) and I was surprised at how good they were, very unusual. I used them in a Chinese stir-fry with vegetable oyster sauce. I will try your recipe soon.
vegoftheweek » Blog Archive » Mushroom Rock: The B Sides
Mar 29, 2008 at 4:53 am
[…] certainly more exotic sounding (shiitake, maitake,), more colorful (Chanterelles), more elegant (oyster, enoki). But much like the music industry, it’s not always true talent that makes the hit […]
gapa
Apr 4, 2008 at 4:58 pm
oyster mushroom is the best for me, i cooked it as a tempura mushroom, the best is, i grew it myself
gapa
Apr 4, 2008 at 5:02 pm
hi…i love to eat tempura oyster mushroom, taste like chicken drumstick, good for vegetarian, the best thing is, i grew those mushroom myself, and no need to worry about the stock
gapa
Apr 4, 2008 at 5:07 pm
hi…i love to eat tempura oyster mushroom. it taste a little bit like a chicken meat…good for vegetarian..the best thing is i grew those mushroom by myself, no need to worry about the shortage.
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