According to this chef, we’ve been cooking mushrooms totally wrong – and he shows us how to do it right
Apparently, we’ve been cooking mushrooms completely wrong our entire lives. And not just us: everyone! This chef from Australia shows us how to do it right. And as both a chef and a mycologist—in other words, a mushroom expert—he probably knows what he’s talking about.
Never wash mushrooms in water—that was always the warning. Just wipe any dirt and soil off the mushrooms with a brush or a piece of kitchen paper, then they can go into the pan dry, or with a little oil and seasoning. Wrong, says Jim Fuller. You should cook the mushrooms first until they’re tender.
Mushroom mush
Cook them? Has he gone completely mad? Wouldn’t that give you wet, mushy mushroom mush? Absolutely not, says Jim. By cooking the mushrooms first, they release the moisture contained inside the mushrooms themselves and become nicely tender. In a video on Instagram, we see him cooking mushrooms in a hot wok with a generous splash of water. Each time the water evaporates, he adds more. ‘You can’t overcook mushrooms,’ he says, ‘so just keep adding water until they’re done.’
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBX3qK4Dl-V/
Perfect mushrooms—enjoy!
The chef from Australia uses wild mushrooms that he picks himself, but his cooking method also works for chanterelles, porcini and all kinds of mushrooms you can buy at the supermarket. Only once his mushrooms are tender does he let the water evaporate and add some olive oil. ‘Then I fry the outside,’ he explains. ‘I add some shallots and garlic, and a little salt. There you go: perfect mushrooms. Enjoy.’
We watch Jim and his bubbling pan in amazement. The reactions under his posts don’t lie either: people can’t believe this is the best way to prepare delicious mushrooms. There’s only one option: try it yourself. Who dares?
Read also:
- Recipe: mushrooms with soy-garlic butter
- Put mushroom powder in everything
- Recipe: smoked duck with mushrooms and green herb pesto
