Mushrooms - Varieties & Uses
Angel trumpet: White, translucent, subtle flavor. Cultivated. Saute in butter and lemon.
Black trumpet: Brown to black, brittle, aromatic, buttery flavor. Cultivated. Saute in butter and lemon.
Button or Common: White or tan, mild flavor, common commercial variety. Cultivated. Use in soup and stews, saute in butter or oil, grill, or serve raw in salads.
Chanterelle: Also known as girolle. Trumpet-shaped, mild flavor. Wild. Serve with poultry, in creamy pasta sauces, saute in butter and onions.
Cremino: Also known as Roman. Brown, more flavorful version of button mushrooms. Cultivated. Saute, roast, or grill with olive oil and lemon.
Enoki: Tiny white caps on long slender stems, tangy. Cultivated and wild. Serve raw in salads, stir-fry, or sauted gently.
Fairy ring: Tan with brown rings, delicate flavor. Wild. Use in stews and soup, serve with poultry.
Hen-of-the-Woods: Brown with white edges, ruffled clusters, rich flavor. Cultivated. Saute slowly.
Matsutake: Dark brown, nutty, fragrant, earthy. Wild. Saute or grill.
Morel: Brown cone-shaped cap, spongy, nutty, meaty texture. Wild. Saute with butter and garlic, use in cream sauces.
Nameko: Also called cinnamon cap. Orange to amber, soft, gelatinous texture, earthy aroma and flavor. Cultivated. Use in Japanese soups and dishes.
Oyster: Tan, fan-shaped, silky texture. Cultivated and wild. Use like button mushrooms.
Pom Pom: Also called coral or lobster mushrooms. White, feathery, seafood flavor. Cultivated. Bake with butter and lemon.
Porcini: Also called cepe or boletus. Brown, large, umbrella-shaped, woodsy, smoky flavor. Wild. Saute, grill, or broil caps with olive oil.
Portobello: Extemely large, brown, mature form of the cremino mushroom. Cultivated and wild. Grill or broil with olive oil.
Puffball: White, round, mild, nutty flavor. Wild. Saute or use in soups, stews, and sauces.
Shiitake: Large, tan, umbrella-shaped, woodsy, smoky flavor. Cultivated and wild. Serve with poultry, use in stir-fry.
Straw: Tiny, tan to dark gray, earthy flavor. Cultivated. Use in Asian dishes.
Trompette de la mort: Also called horns of plenty. Black, trumpet-shaped, rich, nutty flavor. Wild. Serve with poultry and pork.
Truffle: Available black or white. Globular, irregular shape, very aromatic. Wild. Use raw or cooked in salads, stuffing, rice, eggs, sauces, and as a flavoring .
Wood Ear: Dark brown, translucent, ear-shaped, mild, nutty flavor. Cultivated. Use in Asian soups and stir-fry.