Sauteed Corn, Green Onions, and Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Do you saute onions or mushrooms first? ›

Do You Sauté the Onions First? To keep the onions from cooking in the mushroom juices, wait to add the onions until the mushrooms have released their excess liquid and almost all of that liquid has evaporated. Once you get there, add the onions and let them sauté and brown in the fat alongside the mushrooms.

You also don't want to peel away their flesh, as the entire mushroom is edible and there is no reason to discard good food! Instead of peeling or washing, use a cooking brush with dry bristles or a paper towel to get rid of any light residue on the mushroom.

The general guideline is about 1 cup of water for 4 medium-sized or 3 large shiitake caps. Arrange the mushrooms with stems facing downwards as they take longer to rehydrate. Soaking Time: Cover the bowl lightly and soak the mushrooms overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours.

Olive oil: Olive oil has a low smoke point, so it is better suited for sautéing and roasting at low to medium heat. Its distinct flavor can complement the earthy taste of mushrooms. Butter: Butter can add richness and flavor to sautéed mushrooms.

Cooking onions longer at a lower heat results in soft and golden brown onions. This breaks down the natural sugars, so the onions taste extra sweet. We recommend using butter for the best flavor.

Is shiitake mushroom stems edible? Yes, shiitake stems are technically edible. However, they have a fibrous and woody texture, making them less than ideal for recipes. Instead, I recommend using them while making meat-based or vegetable stock.

That said, the shiitake is one 'shroom stem you might want to avoid. While not poisonous (regardless of the myth), the stems may not be all that delicious, says Fool Proof Living. Since the stems are super fibrous, they're hard to chew. The site recommends snipping the stems before cooking.

Don't Bother Cleaning Most Mushrooms

Any dreck on them is just growing medium, and is OK to eat. If you must clean them, be sure to brush—not wash—cultivated mushrooms with exposed gills with a pastry brush or paper towel.

Rehydrating dried Shiitake at a low temperature will enhance their natural sweetness, and maximize the characteristics that give them their umami taste. Guanylate – the compound found in dried Shiitake that gives them their umami taste – also serves to enhance the umami of other ingredients.

How do you know when shiitake mushrooms are done cooking? ›

Never eat shiitake mushrooms raw. Cook shiitakes for at least 5-7 minutes until they are tender and lightly browned. Mushrooms must reach an internal cooking temperature of 266-293 degrees Fahrenheit. To make sure shiitakes are fully cooked, insert a candy thermometer into the meaty center of the mushroom.

The key is to select a sturdy, heavy pan that will cook evenly. Sauté pans have straight sides (a skillet has flared or slanted sides) and often come with lids, since some foods, such as larger pieces of meat, benefit by finishing the cooking process covered.

ADD WATER FIRST; ADD OIL LATER

Steam cooks the mushrooms quickly, so they collapse and release liquid. After the mushroom jus evaporates, we add just ½ teaspoon of oil to brown the mushrooms.

My foolproof method for making perfectly cooked and beautifully brown mushrooms every time. Adding water into the mix causes the air pockets in the mushrooms to break down, resulting in floppier and denser slices.

If sautéing more than one vegetable at a time, what vegetables do you sauté first? Start with the hardest vegetables first, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, or cauliflower. Onions also need quite a while to cook, whereas zucchini and squash need less time, and garlic needs even less.

To help cooks avoid burning their garlic, a lot of recipes call for sautéing other aromatics first, like onions, carrots, and celery, and then adding the garlic for the last few minutes.

When you are cooking any recipe, the best practice is to begin by sauteing the onions and garlic first. By beginning your cooking process with sauteed onion and garlic you are going to add lots of rich flavor to the dish you're making. You want to saute onion and garlic at the beginning of any dish.

Onion is the first to go in the pan because it needs time to become translucent, meaning it's cooked, which takes about 10 minutes. Garlic, on the other hand, cooks quickly and burns easily, so introduce it after the onion is cooked.