Mushrooms deliciously add flavor, texture, and nutrients to almost any meal. Indulge your family by trying these delicious recipes.
Spicy Thai Lobster Soup
This recipe combines mushrooms with the ultimate white-meat delicacy—lobster. Asian flavors such as coconut milk, chiles, and fresh lime produce a mouthwatering effect.
Salmon and Mushroom Wellington with Cucumber Sauce
This pastry combines bold flavors with a dramatic presentation. Mushrooms and garlic are key ingredients, while vermouth adds aromatic flavor.
Roasted Mushroom–Stuffed Striped Bass
For a deeply satisfying meal, try bass fillets wrapped in bacon and filled with a mushroom stuffing. While this preparation starts with a light white fish, the remaining ingredients add flavor and punch that hits the spot.
Crab and Mushroom Bisque
The classic appeal of creamy soup gets a flavor boost in this crab bisque. Hot sauce, dry sherry, and a zesty Lemon Blend add zip you won’t soon forget.
Creamy Scallop and Mushroom Risotto
This traditional Italian dish pairs scallops and mushrooms with cheese and creamy Arborio rice. An essential ingredient is saffron—it adds a unique pungent and spicy flavor.
Mushroom Hunting
Wet weather boosts the coastal mushroom harvest and creates the perfect conditions for fine mushroom hunting. Collecting wild mushrooms is easy, but until you become an expert, don’t taste your fungus finds! Take them to an experienced hunter to determine whether they’re safe or toxic. Here are a few tips on how you can start mushrooming today:
• Find an experienced local, or contact your state’s agricultural extension agency for help.
• Tag along with a veteran, but don’t be surprised if he or she doesn’t want to give away prized locations.
• Acquire a mushroom identification book with color pictures and a key to specific species, and take it with you to the field.
• Research shape, color, size, odor, and gills or tubes under the cap. Also understand the differences between immature and mature specimens, surface features, interior features when cut, and changes in response to cutting or bruising.
• Learn to recognize the species that are common in your area, and be absolutely certain of your identification.
• Be able to tell what distinguishes this mushroom from its closest sister species.
• Consume only a small amount of the mushroom the first time.
ALSO: Where the Wild Things Grow
