Recipes for dried porcini and shitake mushrooms

[ChristinaMason]

A few months ago I went on a dried-mushroom-buying spree, and now I don't know what to do with them. I have two smallish packets of porcini mushrooms and one packet of shitakes. Does anyone have good recipes for either? Hopefully something not too involved...we are moving and trying to eat down the pantry.

And by the way, I already tried Rachel Ray's eggplant stew recipe with porcinis, and wasn't a fan, so there goes that option.

Thanks!

[Bada Bing]

My favorite uses for dried porcini are in risotto and in cacciatore. In each case, I look forward to using the broth from the initial soaking. I assume you know about that process. So I'll only add some notes for the cacciatore here.

After soaking the shrooms, I usually reduce the strained porcini broth by at least half (I soak two ounces of porcini in a quart or so of water), then I add the broth to the tomatoes and mushrooms and other ingredients in the dish, which I usually finish in the oven in a roasting pan, so I can uncover the pan if I wish to tweak the moisture level. (Reducing the broth in the first place helps to moderate the moisture level in the cacciatore.)

Also, in case you don't already do so, I strongly recommend freezing porcini broth in ice cube trays. Kept in a freezer bag, these cubes are handy for all kinds of cooking.

[scuzzo]

I had a ton of dried porcinis and I put a bunch in a powerful blender and turned them into dust. This was great! I added mushroom dust to everything! Mixed into scrambled eggs, coated nearly any meat before grilling or cooking otherwise, sprinkling on veggies...it seemed endless. I was sad when I ran out. I must do this again.

[eight_inch_pestle]

This might go without saying, but a handful of porcini tossed in a nice homemade stock---hopefully with a bunch of reserved shitake stems from your freezer---makes the most wonderful base for a cream of mushroom soup, especially if you start with a double stock and then reduce the liquid by half or more while the mushrooms are in the pot. Indulgent, yes, so I only make it every blue moon.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Also? Toss a couple-few dried porcini in the pot when heating milk for bechamel. Nice to let it steep for at least a couple of hours (or in the fridge overnight, reheating before proceeding) before adding to your roux. And as long as you're steeping, a little minced shallot, fresh bay laurel, and a clove or two rarely hurts. Add whole slices of porcini or crumble first, and fish/strain out or leave in the finished dish---whatever suits your fancy.

[BabsW]

I use dried porcinis, morels and chanterelles in my wild mushroom risotto. :)

[hannaone]

Just a general tip -
Rinse the Shitake under cold running water before you soak, then keep the soak water and use as a base for just about any kind of broth or braising liquid.

Don't know if you would consider this recipe too involved, but it is a good way to feature a variety of mushrooms -

Beoseot Jeongol - Mixed Mushroom Hot Pot

버섯전골
Alternate Spellings: beosot jongol, beoseotjeongol, byeosyot jonggol
A great way to enjoy the earthy flavor and meaty texture of mushrooms. This recipe uses mushrooms found throughout Korea, China, and Japan, but just about any type of edible mushroom may be used.
For a non meat version simply substitute an equal amount (weight) of a variety of mushrooms for the beef in this recipe, and use water or a vegetable broth for the soup..

Servings: 4

Ingredients

7 ounces Neutari mushrooms 느타리버섯 (oyster mushrooms)
2 ounces dried Pyogo Beoseot 표고버섯 (Shiitake mushrooms)
4 ounces Ssari beoseot 싸리버섯 (Coral Mushroom)
4 ounces Songi Beoseot 송이버섯 (Pine mushroom)
8 ounces Beef
3 small green onions
2 ounces minari 미나리 (dropwort/Korean parsley)
2 1/2 cups mushroom beef broth*
1 tablespoon gukganjang 국간장 (light or soup soy sauce)

Seasoning Sauce
2 tablespoons of jinganjang 진간장 (dark soy sauce)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 small green onions
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kkaesoogeum (sesame salt)
3 teaspoons medium ground gochugaru (ground dried chili pepper)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil


Procedure

Preparation

Pyogo:
Rinse dried pyogo (shiitake) mushrooms under cold running water.
Cover with 2 1/2 cups water and soak for 2 hours.
Remove from soak water (reserve the soak water) and slice into thin strips.

Seasoning Sauce:
Mince the garlic and green onions, then place all sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Let stand fifteen minutes for flavors to develop.

Mushrooms:
Thoroughly rinse and clean all other mushrooms, then slice, tear, or shred into thin strips.
Place all mushrooms together in a mixing bowl and toss.
Add 1/2 the seasoning sauce and mix well.
Let stand fifteen minutes.

Beef: (Beef and Mushroom Broth)
Place the pyogo mushroom soak water in a pot and bring to a slow simmer over medium heat.
Add the beef and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the beef from the pot (reserve the broth), cool, and shred into thin strips.
Place the shredded beef into a bowl, add the rest of the seasoning sauce, and mix well.
Let stand fifteen minutes.

Green onions:
Rinse in cold water then cut into roughly 1 inch lengths.

Minari:
Trim stem bottom and remove any discolored leaves.
Rinse in cold water.
Bring a pot of water to a full boil.
Add minari, boil for 30 seconds, remove and rinse immediately in cold water.
Cut into roughly 1 inch lengths.

Final
Bring the reserved broth to a slow simmer over medium low heat.
Add light soy sauce and seasoned mushrooms, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Add seasoned beef, increase heat to medium, and cook for another ten minutes.
Add minari and green onion and cook for another three minutes.
Remove from heat and serve.

Shopping List for 버섯전골 Beoseot Jeongol - Mixed Mushroom Hot Pot

Item ----------------------- Amount needed for recipe
느타리버섯 Neutari beoseot (oyster mushrooms) 7 ounces
표고버섯 dried Pyogo Beoseot (Shiitake mushrooms) 2 ounces
싸리버섯 Ssari beoseot (Coral Mushroom) 4 ounces
송이버섯 Songi Beoseot (Pine mushroom) 4 ounces
Beef 8 ounces
파 pa (green onions) 3 small
미나리 minari (dropwort/Korean Parsley) 2 ounces
국간장 gukganjang (light or soup soy sauce) 1 tablespoon

Seasoning Sauce
Item --------------------------------------- Amount needed for recipe
진간장 jinganjang (dark soy sauce) 2 tablespoons
sugar 2 tablespoons
파 pa (green onions) 2 medium
마늘 maneul (garlic) 6 cloves
깨소금 kkaesoogeum (sesame salt) 1 tablespoon
고춧가루 gochugaru medium ground (ground dried chili pepper) 3 teaspoons
참기름 Chamgireum (sesame oil) 1 tablespoon

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks for such a thorough recipe!

[BabsW]

Thank you for posting this recipe! I have not eaten this since I was in Korea. :)

I bet this would be a great vegetarian dish with silken tofu instead of the meat., like a mushroom soondubu jjigae.

[hannaone]

I believe this dish originated (very early version) during the (nearly) Korea wide ban on eating meat that was instituted shortly after the major kingdoms fully embraced Buddhism.
Meat was added in later versions after the Mongolian invasions ended the meat ban.

[BabsW]

How interesting. :)

When I was there, I was fortunate enough to go to the Sanchon restaurant for the Buddhist temple cuisine. The food there was amazing. I would love to track down some of those recipes.

[hannaone]

I started a thread for some temple cuisine recipes -

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/710713

[BabsW]

Oh, fantastic, thanks!

I do recall a porridge-type dish, not of rice, perhaps barley and something else, that absolutely blew my mind, it was so good. I would seriously consider going back to Seoul JUST so I could taste that dish and try to deconstruct it again. :)

[tastesgoodwhatisit]

If your shitakes are whole, then a very simple but tasty recipe is to soak the shitakes, squeeze out the extra liquid, trim off the stems, and saute whole in butter.

[nomadchowwoman]

A favorite pasta sauce here:
Soak dried mushrooms in boiling water (about 2 cups) and a few T. of cognac, madeira, port, bourbon--whatever you might like--for 20-30 minutes. Strain mushrooms and reserve liquid. (As a precaution, I always then rinse the already strained mushrooms under running water to remove any grit.) when mushrooms are somewaht dry, chop coarsely and set aside.

Meanwhile, saute a handful of chopped pancetta or prosciutto (or speck--you're in Germany, whatever of the great products you have or can get!) in olive oil 'til crispish. Remove from pan and added to chopped dried shrooms. To saute pan, add some butter and some sliced fresh mushrooms-maybe 3/4 -1 cup per serving, depending on your taste, whether this is main course, etc. -- (button, or if you've got others, use those) and just as these begin to release their juices, add some chopped shallot and minced garlic. Cook a minute or two and add the reserved chopped shrooms and pancetta (or whatever). Add about a cup of the reserved soaking liquid to the mix, bring to a boil, and then lower heat and reduce liquid by about half. (If I have extra chicken stock, I often throw some of this into the mix.) When sauce is to your liking, add a few T of cream to the sauce. Then salt, pepper, chopped fresh parsley or thyme (or both), and voila. Serve over pasta w/fresh grated parmigiana.

This is a very forgiving dish. I'm giving loose measurements, based on dinner for two (and I know you, CM, can wing it with no problem). But you can use more or less of this or that, leave alcohol out if you like. It's good w/out the bit of pork (but better with, imo). Make it soupier if you like. Use all olive oil instead of butter, if you prefer. It's one of those dishes that will be delicious, almost no matter what. (The most important thing is making sure the rehydrated mushrooms and the soaking liquid are free of all grit.)

BTW, Christina, I always add some rehydrated dried mushrooms and soaking liquid to my my meat braises, like short ribs, lamb shanks, osso buco. That and some brewed coffee.

[linguafood]

Yep, that's pretty much how you do it. I suppose I could've been more specific, but I'm so used to making it it's all self-explanatory to me.

[ChristinaMason]

AND I have madiera and chicken broth! This is really coming together; you Hounds are spooky-good!

[linguafood]

ok, what time is dinner? '-)

[ChristinaMason]

LOL. If you come over, you have to cook ;)

[ChristinaMason]

This was great. I skipped the pork and used a tad more cream. My mistake was adding too much mushroom liquid and chicken broth, but it eventually reduced down. I used about 1 lb. of mushrooms, and since they were a little crowded in the pan, they browned less than I would have liked. We skipped the cheese, since there was Parmesan on the salad.

Very good. Thanks to you and everyone else for all the helpful suggestions!

[Journey]

How about wontons stuffed with the mushrooms and some chicken breast, potstickers or raviolli? Or a mushroom lasagne (there's a nice recipe at Epicurious.com).

[linguafood]

I love making porcini pasta, which is as easy as it gets. I tend to throw in some fresh shrooms, too, for the texture, and they sautée better. But the awesome flavor comes from the porcini. Just some oo, garlic, crushed or fresh pepper. thyme, white or red wine, cream, and served over your favorite pasta, tho I find linguine or tagliatelle work best. One of my favorite dishes.

[ChristinaMason]

Mmm, cream. I also have some of that. Good idea! Dinner is coming together...I'm gonna run out for some oyster mushrooms, which I love.

[Bada Bing]

Yeah, this is a very good simple use for dried porcini. I also prefer linguine/fettuccine/tagliatelle over spaghetti here.

[bushwickgirl]

Rainey posted this delicious-sounding dish awhile back on a dried porcini/shiitake thread, and there's a few other ideas there also:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/679812#5326871

She may have posted another mixed mushroom recipe as well, I believe, from the LA Times, but I can't find it. I'm not sure if the one in the thread linked here is that one. I thought I copied to my hard drive but can't find it, so...

I made the tomato-porcini sauce for potato gnocchi recently, recipe here at chow, it was very good, but I used canned whole tomatoes in juice and a little tomato paste for the sauce, contrary to the recipe. Other pasta can be subbed easily, I'm sure. A few other porcini recipes popped up on the chow recipe file when I searched there.

Here's a thread with some shiitake ideas:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6989...

[Norm Man]

bushwickgirl, is this the Wild Mushroom Sauce Recipe from the LA Times you were thinking of?

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/...

The Wild Mushroom Sauce was intended to be a sauce for Polenta but I like it over pasta.

[Norm Man]

Also check out this recipe for Fettuccine with Wild Mushroom Sauce from Epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[bushwickgirl]

Yes, that's it, thanks for posting. Yes, great on polenta OR pasta.

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks to both of you. I have some tagliatelle to use up, so that pasta sauce is definitely on the list!