What a score!

And I don't mean the superbowl. On a whim, I stopped by a grocery store on the way back from my cousins and discovered a display of dehydrated mushrooms that were marked down to $1.99 each.

I grabbed a couple each of oyster (normally $5.50 each) and chanterelle mushrooms (normally $8.00 each), but my eyes really lit up when I discovered morels hiding in the back. I grabbed all eight (normally $15 each).

I'm thinking that I might go back tomorrow and grab the rest of the chanterelles. Woo-hoo!

Try the ones you have before you go back. I've had very bad experience with dried chanterelles, usually tough and tasteless.

Dried morels are gold.

Try the ones you have before you go back. I've had very bad experience with dried chanterelles, usually tough and tasteless.

Dried morels are gold.

What's the best way to rehydrate them? I've never been happy with dried mushrooms and I fugure it's because I'm not rehydrating them properly.

Try the ones you have before you go back. I've had very bad experience with dried chanterelles, usually tough and tasteless.

Dried morels are gold.

Thanks, Stuart, for the advice. I'll try the chanterelles first.

For the other thread: There's no secret; I just rehydrate dried mushrooms in warm water until they're soft. And I frequently use some of the soaking water in what I'm cooking (there's a lot of flavor in that water). I most commonly rehydrate shiitakes, cloud ears and porcini, in that order.

First, choose the right mushrooms. The best dried ones seem to be morels, porcini, shiitake, tree ears, and straw mushrooms.

Second, come to it with the idea that the dried mushroom is a different ingredient than fresh- they are not interchangeable in either direction. Dried and reconstituted will have a chewier texture but a more intense flavor. The French dried morels will also have a deep element of smokiness.

Soak in room temp water. When removing the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, try to leave as much dirt behind as possible. Some mushrooms will need some rinsing if they're particularly gritty, but it's best to avoid that when you can. Regardless, the soaking liquid should be well-filtered before using in a stock; I use coffee filters.

We're on the same wavelength regarding the use of coffee filters. I've never seen dried straw mushrooms; I usually buy the canned ones at a Chinese market.

Straw mushrooms are my mark of quality in hot-and-sour soup, which is one way I rank a Chinese restaurant.

Mille grazie.

Apparently, the bad results have been my fault all along.

Mille grazie.

Apparently, the bad results have been my fault all along.

Haven't you ever heard that from your wife?

Larry, I can buy shitake's year round here in Lexington, they run about $5-6 a pound along with oyster and enoki the latter two are a little cheaper. I have a fairly large size oriental store that I stop in frequently. Someday I will get up enough nerve to buy and try some jarred Kimchee, might need to find a day when the wife will be away though.

If you can buy dried oyster mushrooms for $5-$6/lb, that's a real bargain. Reconstituted, that would be about 10 lbs of mushrooms.

Methinks Robert may be talking about fresh mushrooms.

Larry, IC that I didn't type what my brain was thinking. I meant to say that I buy fresh mushrooms at the as.Asian store, not the dried ones. but my whole point was that I can get fresh shitake mushrooms all year round.

We're lucky the same way, but we can also get fresh oyster and others, also.

I got my friend a few packs of dried chanterelles and oyster mushrooms. He mentioned putting them in spaghetti sauce. I thought their flavors would be overpowered and suggested he try them in other dishes.

Your thoughts?

We've used 'em both in couscous, and the water too; dirt and all.

We're lucky the same way, but we can also get fresh oyster and others, also.

I got my friend a few packs of dried chanterelles and oyster mushrooms. He mentioned putting them in spaghetti sauce. I thought their flavors would be overpowered and suggested he try them in other dishes.

Your thoughts?

Risotto!



Mike

So far, we're on the same wavelength: dishes where the mushrooms can be tasted.