Gone are the days when the humble white button mushroom was the only fresh mushroom available in the supermarket or local greengrocer. Nowadays, there are many interesting mushroom varieties to choose from at the local greengrocer, farmers market and supermarket.
From A to Z, here is a guide to the best varieties of edible mushrooms.
Agaricus mushrooms (Agaricus)
This is the common white variety, and are sometimes dried at button stage. Like all dried mushrooms, they reconstitute in warm water. Whole mushrooms take up to 30 minutes, sliced mushrooms need up to 10 minutes.
Black fungus and white fungus (also known as Cloud, Wood, Tree or Silver Ear)
These are used to add texture to Asian dishes. They are available dried (and very occasionally fresh) from Asian and gourmet food shops. Soak them for 15–30 minutes in warm water. Drain well and pat dry with paper towel, then cook quickly over high heat for a crisp texture.
Blewitt mushrooms (Clitocybe nuda)
These are also known as a blue leg mushrooms. They’re easy to identify because of the blue to purple streaked stem, along with a smooth, light brown cap. A nice aroma is produced when cutting dense white flesh. Their earthy flavour is well suited to slow cooking in casseroles, stews and soups.
Buttons (also called Champignons)
These are the youngest and generally (but not always) the smallest. The name is in reference to their shape and stage of growth. Because of the young age when the button mushroom is harvested, the cap is tightly closed around the stem. Buttons have a firm but delicate texture along with a mild flavor that gets stronger when cooked. You can eat them raw or cooked, and they’re also great to go into (whole or sliced) stir-fries and salads. Also, try them skewered and barbecued or served alongside dips.
Cepe mushrooms (also known as Cepe, Cep, Bolete and King Bolete)
Cepes are collected in Europe in autumn and are typically sold as dried. Porcini is one of the most popular types of cepes. To prepare them, soak them for 15 minutes in warm water. Add to casseroles or stews at the start of the cooking process.
Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius)
These are popular edible wild mushrooms in Europe and North America. They’re a family of mushrooms, but the name often refers to golden or yellow chanterelle. Chanterelles are trumpet-shaped and have a strong apricot smell. Soak for 15–20 minutes in warm water.
Chestnut mushrooms (Agrocybe aergerita)
The Ancient Greeks first cultivated Chestnut mushrooms. Although they are more difficult to cultivate than some species of mushrooms, they are very popular and in constant demand, so you can usually find them for sale. Chestnuts have a light brown cap and a thinnish slender, long, cream-coloured stalk. They have a firm texture and quite a strong flavor. Try them sautéed with butter, garlic and thyme, and served on toast or combined with eggs, pasta or rice. Because chestnuts are low in moisture, they are perfect for dips, pates, breads and pizzas. For preparation, trim the very end of the stalk and use whole or chopped.
Cups (Pezizaceae)
represent the next stage of growth. As the veils or caps begin to open around the stems, the mushrooms change from being buttons to cups. The texture is firm but their flavour and colour is more intense. Cup mushrooms are best sliced, diced or quartered and cooked to get the maximum flavour. Known as the versatile mushrooms, they’re suitable to all cooking methods and highly rated in soups, sauces, and casseroles.
Enoki (also known as Enokitake or Winter)
Enoki mushrooms are grown using methods that produce this flower-like mushroom in bunches. They are beige to white in color and have long, thread-like stems with a tiny button cap on top. They have a firm crisp texture and a mild fruity flavor. They are a key ingredients in shabu shabu, the famous Japanese hot pot dish.
You can eat them raw in salads, sandwiches etc, or add them to cooked recipes such as soups, omelets or risottos, but just before serving. To prepare them, trim about 1 inch (2cm) from the base and separate carefully.
Field mushrooms (agaricus campestris)
generally appear in autumn. They look similar to a flat mushroom but they have pink gills that become darker in colour as they age. It’s very difficult to distinguish the poisonous ones from the non-poisonous,so they’re best purchased from a market.
Flat mushrooms (Ganoderma tsugae)
The name says it all – these mushrooms have their caps opened out flat, and have dark gills. Smaller flats are sometimes called breakfast mushrooms, while medium-sized ones are sometimes called barbecue mushrooms (not that we’d want to limit those to the barbeque though becasue they’re all great on the barbie). They even come in jumbo size – a meal on their own.
Although their appearance and flavour are similar, flat mushrooms are not the same as field mushrooms. Flats tend to have an intense, ‘meaty’ type flavour, along with a dense and spongy texture. They are a little softer than cups and buttons and like cups, they are best when cooked. So try roasting them whole. If you slice them, you can make fantastic tempura and if you dice them, they can result in the intensely coloured and flavoured soup, tapenade and sauce.
King Brown (also referred to as King Oyster, Royal Trumpet and King Trumpet)
These mushrooms are also known as eryngii, the king trumpet mushroom is one of the largest species of the genus pluerotus (oyster mushroom family). It’s called the ‘king’ because of its regal stout form, short gills and thick tender stem. King browns have a long shelf-life and robust flavour, from the top of the cap to the base of the stem. They team well with white and red meat, seafood, pasta and rice. For preparation you can just trim the base and thinly slice lengthways or dice the whole mushroom.
Morels are European wild mushrooms (Morchella esculenta)
with a hollow, honeycomb-like caps and a spongy texture. Rinse or wipe dried morels before soaking for 15–20 minutes. Morels have a rich, earthy flavour and are best used in sauces and slow-cooked dishes.
Oyster (also known as Pleurotus or abalone)
are named after their fluted, oyster-shell shape. Found naturally on rotting tree stumps and fallen trees, they’re common throughout North America, Asia and Europe. Numerous species/varieties are available in Australia, with varied colour, texture and flavour. Species range from pearly-white to yellow, pink, grey-brown and purplish-brown.
Oyster mushrooms are best cooked quickly over high heat. More versatile than other specialties, they team well with seafood, chicken, veal and pork. You can also add them to soups and noodle dishes, or crumb them and deep-fry for a sensational starter. Oyster mushrooms are more perishable than other varieties, use within 1–2 days of purchase.Preparation: Use whole, sliced or diced, depending on the size.
Pine mushrooms (also known as Lactarius deliciosus)
get their name because they commonly grow under pine trees. They’re also known as milky saffron, as they exude a milky orange sap when cut. Pines pop up in summer to autumn, after warm sunny days and a good downpour. While their vibrant saffron-coloured cap, gills and stems adds colour to any dish, their flavour won’t let you down, either. They have a firm texture and a full, roasted nut flavour perfect with fresh pasta and egg based dishes.
Portobello (also known as Portabella or Giant Cremini)
are Swiss browns left to grow a little longer so they open out flat, exposing their deep, dark, fragrant gills. Rich, firm and flavoursome, portobello make a great burger, sandwich or pizza base, and are superb grilled, roasted or barbecued.
Shiitake (also known as oak, Chinese black and black forest)
were first cultivated in China, in about AD 1100, and were later introduced to Japan, where they were cultivated on the shii tree from which their name is derived. Now cultivated in Australia, their broad, brown-to-black umbrella-shaped caps house fine tan gills underneath. Their stems are slender and woody. Fresh shiitake have a delicate earthy flavour that intensifies the longer they’re cooked. Match shiitake with stronger flavoured meats such as duck, venison or aged beef. They’re known as the mushroom for longevity, due to their numerous medicinal properties.Preparation: Trim and remove the tough leathery stalk. Slice or dice the cap.
Shimeji (also known as Pioppini, Beech or Hon-Shimeji)
is a Japanese variety that grows naturally on fallen oak, beech and elm trees. Of the many shimejii varieties, only one is cultivated in Australia. They’re a vision of beauty to see grown, as they develop in tight bunches joined at the base of the stems. The stems are almost white, with small brown-grey caps that become paler as the mushroom matures. Sold in clumps, shimeji have a delicate, mildly sweet, nutty flavour. Add them to stir-fries, sauces, Asian-style soups, broths and noodle dishes.Preparation: Trim the stems and separate the mushrooms before cooking.
Slippery jack (also known as Suillus luteus)
like pine mushrooms, is a wild variety gathered in forests. The dark brown cap of a slippery jack has a sticky honey-like substance on the top and a honeycomb-looking underside.
Swiss brown (also known as Cremini and Honey Brown)
are closely related to white agaricus. Similar in shape and size, they have a stunning tan-brown cap. Their flavour is more intense and earthier, and their texture is firmer, with less moisture content, so they hold their shape well when cooked. They’re delicious marinated for an antipasto plate or slice and dice them and add to pasta, pilafs, risottos, pies or curries.
Truffles (Tuberaceae)
This edible fungus, not technically a mushroom, grows at the roots of specially inoculated oak trees, at 5cm–30cm below the ground.
Most truffles are imported, although there have been more than 50 black truffle plantations established around Australia.
Truffles are a prized possession and used sparingly in fresh pasta, risotto and egg dishes, where their flavour can dominate. Other uses include thinly slicing and covering in olive oil to infuse the oil, which is then drizzled over the dish just before serving or at the table. Highly perishable, use fresh truffles within 1–2 days of purchase.
White mushrooms (agaricus bisporus)
first grown in caves near Paris in the 1600s, are the most popular mushroom variety in the western world. In Australia, 98% of mushrooms consumed are agaricus. They’re loved for their versatility and variety of flavour as they mature – it’s the same mushroom just picked at different stages. Remember, if the specific one you’re looking for isn’t available, other sizes can substitute
Wood Ear(also known as black or white fungus, Cloud Ear or Tree Ear)
are now cultivated fresh in Australia, previously they were only available in a dried form that required reconstituting. Wood ear are an essential ingredient in all Asian cooking. Although they have very little flavor, they’re used mainly for their colour and firm, gelatinous texture. Use them in soups or stir-fry style dishes.Preparation: Slice into small pieces so they’re easy to chew and digest.