Oyster mushrooms: the discussion

[Kent Wang]

There wasn't a label at Central Market and the worker who told me it was a yellow oyster didn't seem too confident about it. I Googled for "yellow oyster mushroom" and the images that turned up didn't really look like this specimen.

I sauteed some up and liked it a lot, more than I like oyster mushrooms.

[BonVivant]

although yours is pretty big i think it is yellow oyster. where i am it's very small. besides yellow and the normal grey, there's also pink. whatever colour it's nice in a Sichuan hotpot

[Carolyn Tillie]

Looks gorgeous and, yes, looks like a Yellow Oyster mushroom to me! For Thanksgiving, I also bought the Pink and BLUE Oyster mushrooms... made for an amazing stuffing!

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

As a general rule, oyster mushrooms of whatever hue fruit from a central cluster or core, so you if you have a large cluster like your photo it may have fruited from one big dropping of spores. All the mushrooms have off center caps and are not individual mushrooms. They also grow on wood, though if you've bought it from someone else you won't know that unless there's a little sawdust hanging off the stem. It looks like a prize to me. Congratulations--looks yummy.

N.

[Peter the eater]

There wasn't a label at Central Market and the worker who told me it was a yellow oyster didn't seem too confident about it. I Googled for "yellow oyster mushroom" and the images that turned up didn't really look like this specimen.

I sauteed some up and liked it a lot, more than I like oyster mushrooms.

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I found one of those at my market too. I figured it was a regular white oyster mushroom that was soon headed to the "reduced for quick sale" rack as it looked a little jaundiced. I'll keep an eye out for pink and blue varieties. This one was meaty and very potent after the charcoal grill:

[Magictofu]

It does look like its part of the pleurotus familly. If it smelled a bit like anis, as most oyster mushroom, it was very likely to be yellow oyster mushrooms.

[Peter the eater]

It does look like its part of the pleurotus familly. If it smelled a bit like anis, as most oyster mushroom, it was very likely to be yellow oyster mushrooms.

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Are you referring to Kent's original mushroom or my grilled one? I didn't get a licorice odour but I wasn't looking for one.

[Magictofu]

I was refering to Kent's mushroom, I did not realize this was an older post.

The licorice smell is easier to identify when raw, it is one of the trick to identify wild oyster mushroom along with their shape, location and the presence of cute tiny black beetles.

This smell disapear almost entirely when cooked as other stronger smell develop.

[OliverB]

Yesterday I found a huge cluster of oyster mushrooms growing on a tree in my yard. Scales in at 1 lb 9 oz, what would you do with them? I'm thinking some kind of meat with mushroom sauce, but more than one pound? Or just sautee them? Eat them with eggs?

Here they are, the large one on the left is 6 inches in diameter:

[kellytree]

Chop off the stems - bread them - and fry them and serve with some sort of sauce that you like.

[OliverB]

that's an interesting idea, thanks! And maybe I can make some stock with the stems and other left overs.

Other ideas out there?

[ElsieD]

Wanna share?

[heidih]

Absolutely gorgeous! I love them sauteed with butter and garlic and served on crusty bread slices or tossed with pasta. If I am feeling really indulgent I make that a creamy alfredo type of sauce (cream, parmesan) with some spinach in the saute to balance out the decadence.

[djyee100]

Something I've tried recently, with a combination of oyster and other fresh mushrooms: Cut the mushrooms into manageable pieces, and put them in a Chinese sandpot or earthenware casserole with sliced garlic cloves, a drizzle of olive oil, maybe a little chopped fresh thyme if you have it. Cover with a round of parchment paper, then the lid of the pot, and cook over low heat for about 45 mins. Shake the pot occasionally so they don't stick. Season with S&P before service. The mushrooms cook in their own juices and come out with an intense flavor. If you have a heat diffuser, it's better to use it with the sandpot or earthenware for stovetop cooking. This is my adaptation of a recipe in Paula Wolfert's Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking.

[OliverB]

I don't have a sand pot yet, but I'll keep that in mind! Sounds really good. That books also looks great, but expensive. Not by itself, but I'd have to buy all the clay pots.... :-D

[Hiroyuki]

Oyster mushrooms in January? Lucky you!

When we were lucky to have found large clusters of oyster mushrooms, I parboiled them first, and used them to make:

1. Clear soup (sumashi jiru in Japanese)

2. Gratin

3. Tempura

and some other dishes I don't remember.

If I remember correctly, I think I made foil-yaki first (wrap some mushrooms in aluminum foil, add some sake, close the foil, grill in the toater oven for 8-10 min., spinckle some soy sauce and citrus juice, and eat).

[sparrowgrass]

Mmmmm--oysters are my favorite mushroom. Breaded and fried is great, but I also like them in Asian stir fry.

They dry well, too--just lay them out on paper towels or a rack until they lose most of their moisture. I keep mine in the freezer after I dry them.

Here in Missouri you can find them any month of the year, usually a week or so after heavy rains.

Be sure to keep an eye on that tree--often the mushrooms will appear again and again.

Edited January 15, 2010 by sparrowgrass (log)

[Peter the eater]

What a treat! I've neither the courage nor knowledge to forage for beauties like that, not yet anyways. Is that a beech tree?

[gingko]

Lucky you! I love them!

As I remember, oyster mushroom tends to absorb water easily. Some people even suggest no to rinse them if the source is clean enough.

But anyway I think they are always good! Luck you!

[OliverB]

it's an elm tree. I'm making about half of them now with some onions, garlic and some pork, all fried separate then all together with some chicken broth, boil down, add cream, smoked paprika, eat with brown rice mix. Seems to come along nicely :-)

[KarenDW]

They dry well, too--just lay them out on paper towels or a rack until they lose most of their moisture. I keep mine in the freezer after I dry them.

I second the drying option. Another method: separate onto a cooling rack, then place in an oven w/ just the pilot light on (or, the oven light, in the case of electric ovens).

[Doodad]

Make the mushroomiest pizza ever.

[sadistick]

A few thoughts -

- Do not chop them, Oyster mushrooms simply need to be pulled or torn from the top down to the stem - much more natural and nicer IMO.

- Sear them and get some nice color on them which will help to bring out a ton of flavour.

- Add a bit of chopped garlic and whatever herbs you prefer at the end of cooking.

- Finish with butter and a tiny squeeze of lemon

on fresh crusty country bread

Mmmmm

[OliverB]

thanks all, I think I'll do the pizza tonight and I hope more will grow in the same spot. They promise us a week of rain...

[Richard Kilgore]

I bought a small amount of beautiful oyster mushrooms at Central Market. How would you use them? Salads? Savory? Omelettes? I am interested in any basic principles for cooking with them, as well as specific recipe ideas, and any things to avoid.

Thanks!