Braised Mushrooms with Herbs

December 4th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner

Take a vegetable (in this case, some fungi), add your favorite herbs, and finish the dish with some wine. Does a better culinary prescription exist?

Choose either baby bella or cremini mushrooms for this recipe. Bellas offer a rich flavor and meaty texture. Creminis, with their brown skin and creamy tan flesh, provide a more pronounced flavor than their button-mushroom cousins.

Braising releases the mushrooms’ natural juices and brings out their earthy flavor. The red wine, garlic, thyme and poultry seasoning combine to impart a classic taste.

But it’s the herbes de Provence that provide the decidedly unique flavor in today’s recipe—a French/Italian spice blend that includes herbs like bay leaf, basil, fennel, chervil, sage, summer savory, rosemary, thyme, tarragon and lavender. You’ll find herbes de Provence in the spice aisle.

All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Braised Mushrooms with Herbs

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
1 pound baby bella or cremini mushrooms, cut in half and wiped clean with a damp cloth
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1/2 cup low-fat, reduced-sodium beef broth
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt (to taste)

In wide skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, and sauté until just golden (careful not to burn).
Add mushrooms, fresh herbs, herbes de Provence and poultry seasoning. Increase heat to medium-high, and stir all ingredients so that mushrooms are well coated.
Cook mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add red wine and cook for 2 minutes (if using); then add beef broth.
Cover pan for about 10 minutes, and cook until mushroom juices have been released; then remove lid.
Cook until liquid is almost completely reduced. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Per serving: 110 calories, 7 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 6 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 65 mg sodium

Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest

November 17th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner

Steven Trudell, PhD, and Joe Ammirati, PhD, know their ’shrooms.

Authors of the recently released Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest, Trudell is an affiliate professor of forest resources and lecturer in biology, while Ammirati is a professor of biology who specializes in mycology (the study of mushrooms). Both teach at the University of Washington.

The profs wrote this book because mushroom guides are plentiful, but they could never find one that focused on the Pacific Northwest—an area with diverse and abundant mushrooms. In 352 pages, with more than 460 photos, they cover the geographical area, fungi basics, mushroom collecting, fungus ecology and mushroom poisoning.

Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest makes a great gift for organic mushroom aficionados. It regularly retails for $27.95, but Amazon is currently offering the book for $18.45 (a 34% savings).

Tags: books, mushrooms, Organic Food, organic gardening
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Portabella’s Provenance

August 19th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner

You say portobello; I say portabella.

Regardless of your spelling and pronunciation preference, these meaty mushrooms have become an international favorite.

But as I recently learned from Gourmet magazine, the big-hat mushrooms—a low-calorie, fat-free food, with more potassium per serving than a banana—are the spoils of a “brilliant marketing coup.”

Portabellas are actually mature cremini (“baby bella”) mushrooms. A cremini’s gills are hidden under a closed cap, while a portabella’s gills are fully exposed. As the Gourmet editors note:

The dark spores released from open gills turn sauces black, so overgrown cremini were considered a waste product by the industry until their generous size and their use as a hamburger substitute turned them into a premium product with, naturally, a price tag to match.

Portabellas play a role in cancer and disease prevention, as discussed in New Research Confirms Mushrooms’ Status as Power Food:

High amounts of beta-glucans help keep immune cells in a state of vigilance, guarding against disease.
Mushrooms’ cells contain mechanisms that suppress breast and prostate cancer cells.
Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant that contributes to immune support and protection of the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys and bone marrow.

Here are 10 of our favorite recipes featuring portabella mushrooms:

Photos courtesy of the Mushroom Council

Sauteed Mushroom Salad

April 18th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner

It’s Mushroom Week at OrganicAuthority.com, and Bob Greene—the man responsible for Oprah Winfrey’s dramatic weight loss—has included this nutrient-dense super-food in his recently published book, The Best Life Diet.

“I recommend bolstering your diet with fresh mushrooms,” he says. “From Portabella and shiitake to common white button, mushrooms have a unique flavor that goes well with so many foods and contain the antioxidant selenium.”

Here’s another great recipe featuring ingredients available at your local natural and organic food store.

Sautéed Mushroom Salad

Makes 4 servings

8 cups spring mix (assorted baby salad greens)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound white button or crimini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and quartered
1/2 cup shallot or onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Divide spring mix among 4 serving plates; set aside.
Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a single layer of mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms become red-brown on one side.
Turn the mushrooms and stir in shallot or onion, red pepper and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until shallot or onions begin to soften.
Remove from heat and transfer to a separate bowl. Stir in vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and mix until sugar is dissolved. Spoon mushroom mixture on top of greens and scatter fresh chives on top. Serve immediately.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the Mushroom Council

Mushrooms and Your Health

April 17th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner

We’ve been talking about mushrooms lately, with a basic shopping primer and a new recipe for Mushroom Sauté with Toasted Walnuts.

But did you know that, while mushrooms have been used medicinally in Eastern medicine for centuries, Western medicine is now beginning to pay more attention to their scientifically demonstrated healing properties?

“Shiitakes are one of the three types of wild mushrooms with the greatest health benefits,” says nutritionist and registered dietitian Karen Collins, a consultant for the American Institute for Cancer Research. “Research suggests that shiitake mushrooms have a potent immune-stimulating effect, including improved resistance to infections, liver protection and cardiovascular benefits.”

Cultivated mushrooms (buttons and crimini) also have anticancer properties, as well as small amounts of calcium and vitamin B12, Collins notes. Cook with them, she says, and “you are doing a kindness to your body and your palate, as well.”

Tune in tomorrow for another great mushroom recipe, featuring ingredients available at your local natural and organic food store.

Book Pick of the Day: A Cook’s Book of Mushrooms: With 100 Recipes for Common and Uncommon Varieties

Mushroom Saute with Toasted Walnuts

April 13th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner

Our end-of-the-week recipe features three mushroom varieties in a tasty sauté. You can substitute any three mushroom favorites, depending on availability and preference.

All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Mushroom Sauté with Toasted Walnuts
Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons walnuts
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced Portobello mushrooms, stems removed (about 1–2)
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems removed (about 6)
2 cups thinly sliced white mushrooms, stems removed (about 6)
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

In small skillet, toast walnuts over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, about 2 minutes.
Begin stirring. Add parsley and garlic, and sauté for 3–5 minutes, or until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to darken.
In small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. Add to mushrooms and cook 1 minute. Top mushrooms with walnuts and serve.

Book Pick of the Day: The Shiitake Way: Vegetarian Cooking With Shiitake Mushrooms

Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Tags: food recipes, mushroom saute, mushroom saute with toasted walnuts, mushrooms
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Organic Mushrooms

April 12th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner

Mushrooms are a produce-aisle favorite, but ever wonder how they stack up nutritionally?

“Mushrooms provide a variety of nutrients with few calories,” says nutritionist and registered dietitian Karen Collins, a consultant for the American Institute for Cancer Research. “A half-cup of mushroom pieces contains just 9 calories when raw or 21 calories when cooked without added fat.

“Mushrooms are a good source of the mineral selenium, which protects against cancer as an antioxidant and by promoting DNA repair,” she adds. “Mushrooms also contain other compounds that act as antioxidants and may lead to the lowering of estrogen levels in postmenopausal women.” (High estrogen levels are linked with increased risk of breast cancer.)

Here’s a basic mushroom primer:

White mushrooms (“button” mushrooms) are the most common variety of cultivated mushroom, but usually the least flavorful. They keep better than most wild mushrooms, as they tend to be firmer.
Their brown counterparts, “crimini,” have a slightly fuller flavor.
Portobello mushrooms are the fully mature form of crimini and have become a popular substitute for meat.

Tune in tomorrow for a great new recipe: Mushroom Sauté with Toasted Walnuts.

Additional Mushroom Recipes on OrganicAuthority.com

Organic Gardening: Mushroom Logs

March 6th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner

Ma and Pa Kit

Looking for a unique organic gardening project or gift? Check out the organic shiitake mushroom logs from Perkins, Oklahoma-based Lost Creek Mushroom Farm.

The logs are actual organic oak or similar hardwood logs impregnated with shiitake spawn. They grow shiitakes every 2 months with regular soaking in nonchlorinated room-temperature water. Shocking the log with ice water starts the fruiting process, and mushrooms are ready to harvest within 2 weeks. Logs will produce for 3+ years.

Several kits are available, each containing its own soaking tray, gift basket, log(s) and recipes. The Ma and Pa Kit ($46.50) is the most popular, with two 8″ to 10″ logs that yield mushrooms every month.

“Most food stores carry only shiitakes grown on sawdust, which taste flat and don’t have the same potent health benefits as log-grown shiitakes,” says company founder Doug Williams. “People who love mushrooms and have never had natural shiitakes are in for a treat. It’s a lot of fun to watch the little white buds pop through the bark and then fill out to become beautiful brown shiitakes.”

Lost Creek Mushroom Farm also sells a Shiitake Gift Basket, as well as gourmet items like Shiitake Tortilla Soup, Shiitake Lime-Dill Dip and Shiitake Southwest Dip.

Tags: gardening, mushroom logs, mushrooms, organic gardening, vegetables
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An Organic Mushroom a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

February 21st, 2006 - Barbara Feiner

I never get colds—something of which I’m irrationally proud. But I had a doozy two weeks ago, accompanied by fever and a complete lack of energy. This bug has been going around, and it finally caught up with me.

But mushrooms may be the latest organic food to offer some protection during cold and flu season, according to Chef Colin Roche, chair of the culinary arts department at the North Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University.

“During the height of cold and flu season, Americans are seeking ways to ward off the sniffles,” he says. “Certain foods can boost your immune system and help alleviate cold and flu symptoms. Eat more mushrooms—particularly the Oriental varieties such as shiitake. Mushrooms contain special compounds that have been found to bolster the immune system. Mushroom soup would be an excellent choice because it is not only a hot liquid (which warms the throat and impairs viral replication), but one with the ability to boost your body’s immune response.”

Mushroom Recipes from Organic Authority
Organic Mushroom Bisque
Latin Tomato and Huitlacoche Soup
Roasted Organic Wild Mushrooms on Pita Toasts
Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Organic Risotto
Organic Mushroom Salsa
Wild Mushroom, Winter Root, Chicken Pot Pie

Tags: ailments, illnes, mushrooms, organic ingredients, remedies
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Braised Mushrooms with Herbs

Braised Mushrooms with Herbs

Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest

Portabella’s Provenance

Sauteed Mushroom Salad

Mushrooms and Your Health

Mushroom Saute with Toasted Walnuts

Organic Mushrooms

Organic Gardening: Mushroom Logs

An Organic Mushroom a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

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