Description
Mushrooms release most of their water when heated in a covered pan with salt. Once that water evaporates the remaining solids reach temperatures high enough for amino acids and sugars to form new browned compounds through the Maillard reaction.
Cultural Background
Mushrooms were gathered as food in China by the time of the Yangshao culture, farmers who lived along the Yellow River between 5000 and 3000 BCE. Written records from the third century BCE already name shiitake as a prized flavor. Cultivation of wood-ear mushrooms on logs began during the Tang dynasty, the family of emperors who ruled China from 618 to 907 CE. By the Southern Song dynasty, around 1200 CE, a farmer named Wu San Kwung in Zhejiang province developed the cut-log method still used for shiitake today. The technique spread through East Asia and later reached Europe. Button mushrooms, the common white kind sold in supermarkets, were first grown in caves near Paris during the reign of Louis XIV in the late 1600s. Heat drives water out of mushroom cells so the tissue shrinks and concentrates. When surface water is gone the pan temperature rises above 140 degrees Celsius and amino acids react with reducing sugars to create hundreds of new volatile molecules that produce the roasted aroma. The covered steaming step speeds water release by trapping steam and raising internal pressure inside each piece. This prevents the mushrooms from sitting in their own liquid and lets browning begin sooner. One surprising fact is that the visible mushroom is only the temporary fruiting body; the living organism is a vast underground network of thread-like cells called mycelium that can span acres and live for centuries.
Recipe Info
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
DIFFICULTY: Medium
Ingredients
- 1 pound cremini or button mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered if large
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Adult: Place a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter.
- Add the minced shallot and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 1 minute.
- Add the mushrooms and salt, then increase heat to medium-high.
- Cover the pan and cook, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms release their liquid and shrink, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Adult: Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms turn deep golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, thyme, and garlic if using, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Stir in the vinegar and water, scraping the browned bits from the pan bottom, then remove from heat.
Tips
- Overcrowding the pan keeps mushrooms from browning; cook in two batches if needed or use a larger skillet.
- Use olive oil instead of butter if dairy is unavailable.
- Next time add a splash of soy sauce at the end for deeper savory flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 90
Protein: 3 g
Carbs: 6 g
Fat: 7 g