Dried mushrooms

[smallblueplanet]

Has anyone ever had any nice ones? I've been reminded of this because we've just bought some reduced fresh shitake mushrooms and a website I came across reckoned the dried ones tasted better!

Well so I wondered, we've had a couple of pkts of dried mushrooms from the supermarket but they've always tasted awful and been full of grit (after rinsing!).

[veg4681]

You can buy dried shitake mushroom from Chinese store/supermarket (but being near to B'ham, we have that kind of stores) and they can be quite dear but keeps well. You have to soak in the warm water and they do plump up, otherwise they're not ready for cooking. It's an interesting texture to the fresh one and goes well with Chinese cooking. Some Chinese restaurant might even serve them (too grand for takeaway), of course they're dark looking and you might not even recognise them as mushroom. Black fungus are lovely too, you can buy dried just like shitake mushroom and also Chinese restuarant may have them.

[smallblueplanet]

Yeah thats the sort we've tried veg4681, but the 'interesting texture' is revolting and they were full of grit!

[veg4681]

My DH doesn't think much of it but I do like it and I think it is best cooked in Chinese style (rich gravy style not light stir fry) otherwise it doesn't do much justice. It may look like sea slug, all slippery in the mouth .

[TonyF]

I used them over Xmas for a canape - don't usually, can get varieties of fresh here so easily.

The knack seems to be to double cook them - after soaking and double rinsing that is. Fry them once and then again if they're still very wet, before adding them to a dish. I triple fried them at Xmas and they were just perfect chopped very small, on blinis, mixed with a little creme fraiche and pepper, covered with a small slice of crisply fried jambon cru.

[Flummery]

Not struck on the shitake but I do like dried ceps. They have a really mushroomy flavour and the texture's not so slimy and plasticky when reconstituted.

[smallblueplanet]

veg4681 - re sea slug - yuk!

Very tasty Tony, I'll have mine sans jambon thanks.

I remember a few years ago now, we bought a huge tin of wild mushrooms in a French supermarche, can't remember what they tasted like though!

Might look out for ceps Flum.

[Alison]

We bought a load of dried ceps when we were in Italy a couple of years ago as they were about a quarter of the price of the ones back home and as Flum says have a lovely rich flavour. You do need to strain them and wash well though otherwise you will notice the grit.

[ChocClare]

Manda, I couldn't agree more: dried mushrooms are fairly bleuch unless you have time to ponce about with them.

However, as I was going through my biscuit tin I came across some French shitake mushrooms and some champignons de paris bruns suitable for growing on wood. I haven't tried them yet, but reading the instructions it would appear you soak the wood, drain it, sprinkle the culture over it, put it in a plastic bag for 4-8 weeks, then take it out and water regularly. You probably know more about this sort of thing than I do! As I'm in the middle of sorting out your beans I'd be happy to bung you some of this in the envelope I'm sending plus some translated instructions if you're interested? Let me know.

[smallblueplanet]

Wow! Thanks for the offer Jane, I wouldn't mind trying having a go at some of the champignons de paris bruns. I'm jaundiced by my tasting of the shitake and say bleugh to them though.

Of course you might be able to get a good swop for them?