Amerika

Whether or not the keto diet turns out to be solid wisdom or just a fad, the habit of eating mushrooms comes to us from our ancestors and therefore, will serve us well. However, most people find cooking mushrooms a bit difficult since they either become dry or disintegrate with most preparations.

Spending a little bit of time on preparation can make all of the difference. If you cook your shrooms using this method, they will turn out plump, juicy, and flavorful each time, with that hard edge of “fungal” flavor dimmed just a bit.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Crimini or white mushrooms
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp vinegar (wine, apple cider, rice, or a mixture)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp black pepper ground
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ground (optional)

Set aside your shrooms, wash them and cut them into desired size; I favor about three slices per cap for those who like mushrooms, and thinner for those who fear the texture.

Dump shrooms into a large bowl, cover with the ingredients above, add water so that you are covering most of the shrooms, stir well, and set aside for at least a couple hours but even days if you want, since this arrests the degradation of the mushrooms in your moist refrigerator.

When it comes time to cook them:

1. Set frying pan on stove at medium heat.
2. Add a couple pats of butter or olive oil.
3. Remove shrooms from liquid and toss shrooms into pan.
4. Cover and cook for ten to fifteen minutes, turning occasionally.

You can discard or re-use the marinade if you have another batch of mushrooms ready. For me, this produces plump and juicy mushrooms without the mealy texture of most commercial or restaurant preparations.

The spices and soy sauce take the edge off the mushroom flavor while enhancing their natural meaty and nutty taste, giving even mushroom skeptics something to enjoy. Doing the prep work up front means that the cooking is a breeze.

If you are going to put these on pizza, cook them less and take them off early, then drain them. You can use the “mushroom juice” to cook meats or other vegetable combinations since it gives them a sturdy and richer flavor.

Tags: keto, mushrooms, recipe