Cooking Mushrooms

Only the common mushroom can safely be eaten raw. Do not eat other varieties uncooked without first checking them.

Most mushrooms, including the common mushroom, produce a good deal of liquid which evaporates as they cook, leaving them tender and considerably shrunk in size. A few species, notably boletes, chanterelles and oyster mushrooms, produce so much liquid during cooking that they can turn slimy. Often they must be sautéed first in a little oil to draw out the juice, then drained before cooking a second time. Other mushrooms, such as the hedgehog and chicken of the woods, tend to be dry and should be cooked gently, covered if they seem likely to scorch.