Storage and Preparation:
Fresh Mushrooms vegetables need to be
prepared as soon as possible. If they re in prime condition when
bought, they can generally be refrigerated two to three days longer. Be
sure to pick them over well, opening plastic-wrapped containers and
removing any mushrooms that are not in prime condition. If you are
going to store mushrooms longer than 24 hours, it is wise to pick them
over daily so that any that are spoiling do not infect those remaining
in the bag.
Place the mushrooms vegetables in a paper or cloth bag and store in the
vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. If they appear to be drying out,
cover them with a lightly dampened – but not wet – paper or kitchen
towel that should be changed daily.
Fresh Mushrooms vegetables are like sponges. If they are soaked in
water for any length of time, they will absorb prodigious quantities,
which they will subsequently give off when cooked, which can ruin a
recipe. It is best in most cases to just lightly brush the caps or wipe
them with a clean kitchen towel, removing any loose dirt; clean them
just before cooking. Trim the stem ends – or discard the stems of
shiitake mushrooms – and cut out any bad spots. The only mushrooms that
should be well washed, in running water, are morels. The little
crevices on their surface are favorite hiding places for little
creatures that are best not eaten with the fungi.
Leave the fresh mushrooms vegetables whole or cut them into halves,
slices, or chunks, depending on the recipe. Cook at once.
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