Mushrooms are definitely having a moment here in Wisconsin. It feels like every other month, I learn of a new variety being foraged or grown locally, each more interesting and otherworldly than the last. King Oyster, Maitake, Black Trumpet, Giant Puffball—they look more like something out of a science fiction novel than food to eat. But despite their appearance, people aren’t as wary of mushrooms as they used to be. We’re no longer hiding mushrooms on pizza or burying them in casseroles. We’re learning to let them take a starring role. Lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms are two of my favorites. Incredibly easy to work with and hearty, these mushrooms can replace meat on sandwiches, tacos, crab cakes and much more.
Lion's Mane French Dip Sandwich
In this spin on a classic French Dip, chef Juan David Umaña utilizes lion’s mane mushrooms as a meaty substitute. As a chef focused on plant-based fare, mushrooms have played a pivotal role in his flavors and textures. Lion’s mane mushrooms serve as a perfect vessel for absorbing marinades and being exposed to high heat while maintaining their textual integrity. If you are unable to get a hold of lion’s mane, portobellos and shiitakes make a great substitution.
Oven Roasted Mushrooms
Every spring, Dani Lind starts scanning the woods for golden oyster mushrooms, an invasive species that usually grows on dead elms that are easy to identify and unusually easy to find given their bright yellow color and tendency to grow in large groups of clusters. She finds this recipe to be a simple way to preserve large bounties of oysters for the freezer and recommends varying liquids and aromatics based on how you plan to use the mushroom. For example, use shallots, fresh ginger, mirin and tamari if you’re serving the mushrooms alongside rice or with an Asian soup. Or, use garlic, white wine, fresh Mediterranean herbs and olive oil if you’re serving them with pasta. Or try them with red wine or bourbon, garlic, rosemary and crushed juniper berries to top a perfect grilled steak.
Oyster Mushroom Tacos
Mushroom tacos have become a weeknight staple in our household. Infinitely adaptable with whatever mushroom we have on hand (oysters, lion’s mane and shiitakes), they roast up into crispy strips that pair well with whatever is in season. Radish matchsticks and microgreens are a classic spring combo for us, often adding pickled red onions if we have some in the fridge.
Lion's Mane Mushroom "Crab" Cake
Ironically, Tommy Stauffer, a mushroom farmer, didn’t like mushrooms for most of his life, but as it turned out, he had never really tried different varieties or cooked them well. These days you’ll find shiitake, oyster, maitake, and lion’s mane mushrooms in nearly every dish he cooks, and he finds himself talking up how versatile and delicious they are to anyone who will listen. For mushroom newbies especially, he likes to suggest this “crab” cake recipe because it introduces people to a unique mushroom that mimics seafood in texture and taste, making it very approachable for those new to experimenting with mushrooms. He likes to serve this recipe on top of a bed of arugula or other spring greens salad.
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