Portabella Mushrooms, Dried

Also known as the black chanterelle, horn of plenty, black trumpet, and trumpet de la mort or “trumpet of the dead” based on the imagery that buried corpses are playing these fungal horns from beneath the ground. The outside can be rather waxy and black, but the inner part of the horn is usually velvety and charcoal grey. It’s a rather morbid looking specimen with an aroma of air-cured beef. The flavor is highly prized and tastes of an overripe washed rind cheese or a black truffle. The texture is close to that of a soft piece of dry mozzarella when reconstituted. These little lolitas are best cooked up in risottos, ragus, or minced with a bit of pork and shallot and stuffed into ravioli. In addition, black trumpet mushrooms are also excellent served with fresh gnocchi and dressed in gremolata.

An edible mushroom that originated in Western Europe and then spread out through Eastern Europe and South America. They grow under the dark and damp shade of conifer and hardwood forests where they bulk up their fat bottoms and spongy caps (which are porous instead of having gills like most mushrooms). The bolete grows chubby and large; so much so it is often considered the King of the Mushrooms. In fact, some boletes can grow to be 18 inches tall and more than a foot in diameter. The taste of an edible bolete mushroom is hit or miss. Dried, the bolete reeks of dark soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar. When reconstituted the flavor is far more mellow with a slight fermented hint. This European mushroom is popular served with a runny egg, tucked into pasta dishes, and stirred into risotto. A more modern twist is to grind them into powder in a food processor, mix it with salt and black pepper, and use the mixture as a rub for beef.

This bitter-tasting mushroom is rumored to have numerous healing properties. It’s long been thought to fight viral infections, reduce stress, and induce sleep. One recent study even showed even demonstrated that it was able to help reverse chemical-driven liver damage. This dried reishi mushroom has a bitter taste and for this reason, is often brewed with other mushrooms so as to cover it up. Other recipes insist on adding lemon, honey, ginger, or even a small bit of bacon fat to help make it more palatable. Another, more palatable option? Simply blitz the Lingzhi mushroom into a powder and add it to smoothies as a superfood supplement.

These shredded Wood Ear mushrooms look like destroyed confidential files from a government office rather than food. Perhaps under all that black you might find some undisclosed secret kept hidden from the public. But no, these are mushrooms. Hydrated, these delicate strings of finely sliced Wood Ear mushroom become brown and crunchy with a forest-y flavor. Many chefs have begun to treat shredded Wood Ear like a pasta as instead of a mushroom. Add them to cold soba dishes, or tangle together with fettuccini and slather in an alfredo sauce for an East-meets-West dish. We like to add them into a chicken soup for their antiviral properties. Curious in texture, intriguing in flavor, and with a contemporary appearance this mushroom is perfect for the hip home cook.