. Cleaning Mushrooms

By á-170456

Ingredients

• Cleaning Mushrooms

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

As a rule, clean mushrooms as you use them. Wash them with as little water as possible. Especially avoid wetting the undersides of the caps. If the mushrooms are in good condition, brush or wipe them with a damp cloth. Delicate flavors are lost in soaking or boiling mushrooms.

Remove tough stems or trim the ends as needed. In some recipes, the stems are saved for later use.

Forest debris and soil can be often persuaded to leave the surface with the gentle brushing of a finger. Nylon mushroom brushes are available at cookware stores, but a soft toothbrush is just as effective.

A sharp pointed instrument such as a knife is sometimes required to clean out cracks in chanterelle caps.

In general, mushrooms should be cleaned at least half an hour before cooking so they can dry off. Mary Etta Moose, of the Washington Square Bar and Grill in San Francisco, suggests carefully tossing mushrooms in a dry skillet over heat for a short time to sear their surfaces and to help remove water.