I underestimated the yield of my homegrown mushrooms. I thought I would have a steady supply over the next few weeks, but instead, they all matured at once. As a result, I now have 2-3 kg of mushrooms, with another batch expected in about a week. I plan to make a pasta-mushroom casserole, pizza, capsicum-mushroom lecso, and mushroom cream soup, but I still have a lot left. Do you have any suggestions for how I can use them?
Mushroom stock comes to mind. Just, uh, makes sure to rinse them well first. (forget cloudy stock. sandy stock is ewww)
I will rinse it right but I’m all in for the mushroom cream (not soup) so I don’t mind much about the colour :)
Cloudy stock is like soggy pie crust bottoms to certain crowds. Though generally speaking, a cloudy stock is less about messing something up and more about what you’ve added to veg stock. (or it could be “over” cooked- if you just kept it at a simmer the entire time, it should just be a matter of filtering the liquid. or going full on consomme-clear with the whole chill it-and-egg-whites process to filter it.)
if you do make vege stock with scraps; mushrooms definitely add a positive flavor too it. this is more of a use-it-or-loose-it phase of salvaging the shrooms. (or scraps, carrot and apple peels feature in my stock, too. as well as onion skins and garlic-ends that I just can’t be arsed to mince all the way down.)
By the way, you can use stock of all types for more things than just soup. for example, using stock instead of water for rice will definitely improve the flavor. (veg or chicken stock; beef stock was… weird…). same goes for stews; including mushroom stews and beef stews (veg stock here.)
Every time I have a chicken I save the bones and when I get enough I make a chicken broth for infusing chicken soup or for all kind of sauces. Sometimes I use it for cooking rice. Having said that I could make a mushroom soup/cream with the chicken broth I have.
Mushroom ketchup and dust! Townsend’s Mushroom Ketchup
Food dehydrator.
Dehydrate and turn into a powder. That 2-3kg will make like 200g of powder that adds a big umami hit to anything it is added to.
Quick cook and freeze, Soup (and freeze), Slice and dehydrate, Use in pasta sauce and jar
I’m considering blanching mushrooms but it will limit the future use. I know, not a big deal but still I like my mushroom fresh.
