Maitake mushrooms are also known as 'Hen of the Woods'. It has a rippling form with no caps, and grows in clumps and clusters at the foot of oak trees. Maitakes are described as being a cluster of dark fronds with a firm and supple texture at its base, becoming slightly brittle and crumbly at the edges. They have a unique shape and a rich flavor.

Our Maitake cultivated mushrooms are organically grown and carefully hand selected ensuring the highest quality fresh mushrooms.

Applications: They are quite meaty, with a rich flavor, and these mushrooms can hold their shape and crisp texture extremely well in the sauté pan.

Origin: Oregon and Southern California

Storage & Handling: Place in a paper bag and refrigerate for use within 10 days. Do not soak them.

How to Preserve: If you find that you will not be able to use all of your fresh mushrooms before they go bad, here are a few options:

• If you dry them, they will last for years and retain an intensified form of their intrinsic flavor and vital properties. Simply dehydrate your left over mushrooms at under 140 degrees, in an oven (or a dehydrator if you have one.) The cooking time varies with the amount of moisture the mushroom has. Keep an eye on the oven-dried shrooms until they are moisture-free. Many chefs will dry leftover mushrooms and keep them for soup stock, to use months down the road.

• Individually freezing is another method. Place the individual mushrooms on a cookie sheet making sure they aren’t touching, they will freeze retaining their original shape, often times people will freeze them in one bag all together and they will end up with a chunk that is not very cook friendly.

• You can also par-sauté fresh mushrooms in oil and then freeze them.

• Lastly there is canning mushrooms in oil. Cook down mushrooms in oil and place inside a mason jar, the heat should seal the jar. Keep refrigerated for up to two months!

Specifications: Each order is 2 lbs.

Shipping: Fedex Overnight

Maitake Mushroom Risotto
recipe created by: Gastronome
 
1 lb. Maitake Mushrooms (trimmed of stems, stems reserved, broken apart gently)
Butter (as needed)
 
Rinse the mushrooms and dry gently. Sauté gently in melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, touch of lemon juice. Set aside.
 
Mushroom Broth:
1 T. canola oil
1 cup leeks, sliced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
trimmed Maitake stems, rough chopped
 
Sweat veggies in the oil until translucent; add stems and 4 cups water. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Strain.
 
Risotto:
1 T. Olive Oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 cup Sushi Rice (or any other short-grain rice)
3 cups mushroom broth with 1/2 cup white wine, kept hot
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
 
Sweat shallots in oil, add rice and stir until outside coating of rice is translucent. Add broth/wine just to cover, stirring occasionally, until rice, when stirred, pulls away from the bottom of pan, then repeating until rice is al dente and creamy. Stir in reserved sautéed mushrooms, cheese. Serve drizzled with a nice olive oil and shaved Pecorino.