Cleaning and Peeling Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one of those tricky vegetables people hesitate to clean. They’re often quite dirty, but washing them with water or submerging them causes them to become soggy when cooked. (We only wash black trumpet mushrooms, which tend to carry sand.) Instead of rinsing them, use a mushroom brush (or another small, dry brush with stiff bristles) to clean off any dirt and debris gently. We also peel our white button mushrooms, because it allows them to absorb the flavor of sauces (and we think it’s prettier). To peel, using a paring knife, gently peel back the top layer of each mushroom by holding it upside down, gently catching the rough edge of the cap with the knife, and carefully peeling it back to remove the clean mushroom cap’s skin. Repeat until all the skin has been removed.