As of: January 12, 2024 10:12 a.m
Edible mushrooms are not only one of the culinary highlights in the autumn season. What should be taken into account when preparing? Can mushrooms be reheated? Practical tips and recipes.
Whether wild or cultivated, raw or fried: edible mushrooms are a popular and healthy ingredient in the kitchen. Since fresh mushrooms spoil quickly, they should be used as quickly as possible, otherwise symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea may occur. Store in the refrigerator or in a cool, airy place for no longer than two days – preferably in an air-permeable container, such as a paper bag.
Clean mushrooms properly
Clean mushrooms without water if possible. Cut off damaged areas and dry ends.
Mushrooms must be cleaned before preparation. With cultivated mushrooms, it is sufficient to clean them briefly with kitchen paper if necessary. Clean wild mushrooms carefully but thoroughly with a soft brush or mushroom brush. Only if absolutely necessary, wash briefly and then dry thoroughly. Cut away any muddy or damaged areas. Also remove maggot spots, which often occur on boletes such as chestnuts.
Cut off the dry ends of the stems and cut the mushrooms into slices or pieces. Very small specimens are best prepared whole. Never put mushrooms in water because they become saturated and lose their aroma.
Fry, braise and grill mushrooms
Fresh herbs give mushrooms a particularly delicate aroma.
Mushrooms are very versatile. You can fry them, braise them, boil them, grill them or bake them. Cultivated mushrooms such as mushrooms or king oyster mushrooms also taste good raw, for example thinly sliced in salad or marinated in vinegar, oil, spices and herbs.
Fried mushrooms develop their full aroma and taste good as an appetizer, side dish, topping or on toasted bread. Important: Fry the mushrooms at a high temperature for as short a time as possible, otherwise they will quickly become mushy because they contain a lot of water. Refined oil or clarified butter are best suited for this. Fry the mushrooms while turning, then reduce the temperature slightly and continue frying for a few minutes. Only at the end season to taste and add a few flakes of butter. To flavor to taste, add a crushed garlic clove or a few sprigs of herbs to the pan. Do not serve these.
Alternatively, you can add mushrooms directly to sauces or soups, grill them or bake them in the oven. Large mushrooms – so-called portobello mushrooms – are easy to hollow out, stuff and gratinate in the oven. Oyster mushrooms are ideal for breading.
Further information
Whether fried, grilled or in delicious sauces: mushrooms can be prepared in a variety of ways. Recipes and ideas for cooking. more
Season mushrooms properly
Salt and freshly ground pepper should not be missing from any mushroom dish. Garlic, onions and a splash of lemon juice round off the taste of the classic preparation. If you’re more adventurous, add a touch of nutmeg or a little ginger. Parsley, chives, thyme, marjoram or rosemary are very suitable herbs, and coriander is also suitable for an Asian note.
Shiitake mushrooms taste delicious with a little soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. The general rule is: Season well in doses; the spices should only emphasize the delicate taste of the mushrooms, not cover them up.
Dried mushrooms: Ideal for sauces
Anyone who has found a lot of porcini mushrooms in the forest can dry them and preserve them.
Dried mushrooms are ideal for refining sauces, ragouts or pies. They are often more aromatic than fresh ones. Rinse thoroughly before preparation. Then soak in warm water for 15 to 30 minutes and then add the soaking water to the dish or braise. When shopping, you shouldn’t be confused by the small bags: 25 grams of dried mushrooms correspond to 250 grams of fresh ones.
If you want to dry mushrooms yourself, you should first trim off any unsightly areas and cut the mushrooms into slices about five millimeters thick. Then dry in the sun, in the dehydrator or oven. When dry and hard, store in an airtight jar.
Frozen mushrooms are better than canned ones
Mushrooms are also available commercially in jars or cans. However, because they float in water, they lose most of their nutrients and much of their flavor. Frozen mushrooms are better: freezing preserves many nutrients, but they are not quite as crunchy and aromatic as fresh ones. Do not thaw frozen mushrooms, but process them straight away.
Can you reheat mushrooms?
If there are leftovers from mushroom dishes, they should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten the next day. A one-time rewarming, which has long been classified as harmful, is not problematic according to current scientific findings. Requirement: The mushrooms are freshly prepared and, after cooling, stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of one day at two to a maximum of four degrees.
When warming up, heat the mushrooms thoroughly at at least 70 degrees. Important: Even industrially preserved edible mushrooms, whether dried, frozen or sterilized, may only be warmed up once.
Further information
Wild mushrooms are in season in late summer and autumn. Which mushrooms can you eat? Tips for collectors and recipes. more
Cultivated mushrooms such as champignons are available all year round, wild mushrooms only in summer and autumn. Buying tips. more
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Eat better! | 01/14/2024 | 4:30 p.m