How to Get the Most out of Mushrooms

he following recipe, video and photography were provided by our partner, Chef Billy Parisi.

Heinen’s Produce Department goes above and beyond to source a wide assortment of top quality mushrooms. However, purchasing and cooking with mushrooms can be extremely intimidating based on their appearance and a simple lack of understanding of how to handle and prepare them.

When it comes to purchasing mushrooms, you simply want to make sure their gills are intact and that they firm to the touch, not slimy. Use a damp paper towel and wipe off the tops/caps of the mushrooms to remove any unwanted particles of dirt.

Now that we’ve covered how to shop for mushrooms, I am going to show you how to use three of my favorites, the shiitake mushroom, the Portobello mushroom and the oyster mushroom in effortless ways!

Shiitake Mushrooms
Starting with the shiitake mushrooms, I personally like to remove the stem by wiggling it back and forth. The stem is good to use, but I often discard it. Shiitake mushrooms are meaty and earthy and taste fantastic roasted in oil and tossed with a tasty stir fry.

Portobello Mushrooms
Now, for Portobello mushrooms. These are big steaky mushrooms and I love serving them as burgers. But first, to prepare them, remove the stem much like the shiitake mushrooms. I also like to remove the gills even though some folks don’t. I use a spoon to simply scrape the gills right out. I then coat the Portobello mushrooms in a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and sear them up on a grill or griddle pan. Once they become nice and tender and have a few grill marks, they can be served in place of a burger patty with lettuce, tomato, onion and a little bit of mayonnaise.

Oyster Mushrooms
Last but not least, oyster mushrooms. These are so delicious. What I do is slice off the end a little bit, then pull them apart from that main stem. Now, you can go a little bit further if they’re larger oyster mushrooms and tear them to break them down a little bit. I love to pan roast these mushrooms until they develop a nice caramelization and brown sear. Finish them off with a littlw gravy and pour them over some steak for a delicious gourmet dinner!