Ponderosa Mushrooms - Descriptions

abalone mushroom = or the Nebrodini Bianco  The Pleurotus nebrodenis is a very large, firm glistening white mushroom which grows on the slopes of the Italian Nebrodi mountain range in the Spring.

It’s wonderful sliced, then sautéed or grilled. The flavour is savoury and mild, allowing it to enhance a wide range of dishes. The texture is truly extraordinary, unlike any cultivated mushrooms we've ever tasted.

black trumpet mushroom = black chanterelle   Notes:   This is a very choice, flavourful mushroom.  Dried black trumpets are excellent, too.  Substitutes:  chanterelle OR hedgehog mushroom  

cauliflower mushroom  Notes:  These are very flavourful, but a bit chewy.  They're good fried, or in soups or stews.   Select small, young-looking heads.

chanterelle = egg mushroom = girole = pfifferling   Chanterelles are a whole family of mushrooms, most of which are quite choice, but the name is most often applied to the golden chanterelle = yellow chanterelle.  These yellow mushrooms are highly prized for their exquisite flavor, color, and texture.   Other tasty chanterelle varieties include the yellow foot chanterelle, which is less meaty and less flavourful than other varieties, the black trumpet mushroom, and the white chanterelle, which is similar to the golden chanterelle, but lighter in color.  Fresh chanterelles are best; dried or canned chanterelles are less flavourful and tend to have a rubbery texture.    

chicken-of-the-woods mushroom = sulphur mushroom   Notes:   This got its name because it has the texture of cooked chicken.  You can sauté it or, if you want to make mock chicken, simmer it in chicken stock. 

enoki mushroom = golden needle mushroom  Pronunciation:  eh-NO-kee    Notes:  Enoki mushrooms have a delicate fruity flavour.  They're usually served raw.   

king oyster mushroom = king eryngii mushroom or Trumpet Royale has a wonderful nutty flavour, a resilient firm texture, and an amazing shelf life. Chefs in some of the country’s finest restaurants have remarked on its versatility and will often use it in place of wild mushrooms

It has a great range of flavour, depending on the preparation style. It can be sautéed, grilled, braised, stewed, or broiled. Unlike many mushrooms, the stem has the same wonderful texture and flavour as the cap – nothing is wasted.

Firm porcini-like texture, its savoury richness is emphasized by high-heat cooking. Sautéed with butter, it pairs with Chardonnay. Grilled or roasted with olive oil, pair it with Syrah. With meats, try with Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. It likes cream, walnut, sherry, parmesan, rosemary, balsamic.

 

fairy-ring mushroom  

gamboni mushroom = big leg mushroom

hedgehog mushroom = pied de mouton mushroom Notes:  Hedgehog mushrooms are similar to chanterelles in color and flavour.   

lobster mushroom   Notes:   These are actually white mushrooms that have been coated by a red fungus. 

matsutake mushroom = pine mushroom  Notes:    These are popular in Japan , but they're hard to find fresh in the United States and dried matsutakes aren't nearly as flavourful. 

morels   Notes:   Morels are highly prized for their rich, earthy flavour, and also because their caps are hollow, which allows them to be stuffed.   Dried morels are very flavourful, and they're an excellent substitute for fresh in sauces and stews.  

nameko or cinnamon cap mushroom has an earthy, forest flavour that is enhanced when sautéed, and the silky texture withstands the sautéing process well. The layer of naturally occurring gelatin on the cap allows Forest Nameko™ to lightly thicken soups and sauces

The beautiful, bright-orange color and glossy, moist texture of this mushroom adds an enchanting dimension to culinary creations. This mushroom is a wonderful complement for meat, fowl, and game. Nameko is popular in Asia where it is a standard ingredient in Miso soup.

oyster mushroom =  pleurotus mushroom = pleurotte  Notes:  Oyster mushrooms are prized for their smooth texture and subtle, oyster-like flavour.  They can also be grown commercially, so they're widely available and fairly inexpensive.   

pioppini mushroom -  The unique robust flavour of the Velvet Pioppini has already made it a hit with chefs all over America. Also known as the Black Poplar mushroom, it has magnificent dark brown caps on long cream coloured stems. The intense forest flavour makes it a natural for pastas, game, and red meats.
 

The caps are dark chocolate brown with a soft/silky texture. The creamy stems have a texture similar to asparagus. Excellent on its own, with red meats or game.

 

pom pom mushroom = lion's mane mushroom = beard mushroom   Notes:   The flavour of this mushroom has been likened to that of lobster and crab. 

puff ball mushroom = puffball mushroom

porcini = cepe = bolete = king bolete = borowik =  Polish mushroom = steinpilze = stensopp  

Notes:   Porcini mushrooms are well appreciated in Europe for their meaty texture and interesting flavour.  If you can find them fresh, pick the largest caps you can find (or afford).  Just wipe them clean before using; if you wash them, they'll soak up the water like a sponge.  Dried porcini are also excellent. 

 

portabella mushroom = giant crimini  

Notes:   These are just large crimini mushrooms, and their size (about the same as a hamburger patty) makes them perfect for grilling or roasting.  They're also more flavourful than younger, smaller criminis.  

shiitake mushroom   Pronunciation:  she-TAH-kay   Notes:   Though shiitake mushrooms are now cultivated, they have the earthiness and flavour of wild mushrooms.  They're large and meaty, and they work well in stir-fries, soups, and side dishes, or as a meat substitute.  Dried shiitakes are excellent, and often preferable to fresh due to their more intense flavour.  Soak them in water for about thirty minutes to reconstitute them, then use the water they soaked in to enhance your sauce.  

shimeji mushroom = also known as Hon- or Buna-Shimeji, is distinguished by its mild shellfish flavour. It's quarter-size caps with 2 to 3 inch white stems retain a crunchy texture even after sautéing. 

Crisp to crunchy texture, with an almond aroma, and shellfish-like flavour, the shimeji is excellent with fish and shellfish. It likes olive oil, garlic, tomato, red bell pepper, citrus juices, and thyme, and pairs well with Sauvignon Blanc.

 

St. George's mushroom  

 

truffles  Notes:   Truffles are one of the most expensive of the fungi (technically, they're not mushrooms), but they're packed with flavour.  You can grate raw truffles into salads, or chop and sauté them and use them to flavour sauces.  Their flavour is complex, so truffles work best in delicately flavoured dishes like cream sauces.   Truffles are highly perishable, so you should plan to use them within a few days after buying them.   To preserve them, add slices of them to bourbon, then use the bourbon and truffle pieces to flavour sauces.   Fresh truffles are often sold in containers filled with rice.  Don't throw out the rice--it was put there to absorb some of the truffle's exquisite flavour.  

white mushroom = button mushroom = white button mushroom    Notes:   These are the mushrooms you're most likely to find in supermarkets.  They're good raw, but more flavourful if cooked.   

wood ear mushroom   Notes:   Chinese markets carry fresh or dried pieces of this tree mushroom.  You're supposed to soak or simmer the dried chips until they soften, and then rinse them carefully to remove any dirt.  They're not very flavourful, but they have an interesting texture and are believed to have medicinal benefits.    

yellow foot mushroom = yellow foot chanterelle = funnel chanterelle = winter chanterelle  Notes:    Though not as flavourful as golden chanterelles, these mushrooms work well in most chanterelle recipes.

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