Costco Connection - October 2005

Shiitake and Boletus Mushrooms and Dried Tomatoes

50 g (¹/₄cup) dried boletus (porcini) mushrooms 50 g (¹/₄cup) sun-dried tomatoes

200 mL (slightly more than ³/₄cup) white wine 8 fresh basil leaves

1 small onion, minced

45 mL (3 Tbsp.) extra-virgin olive oil

5 mL (1 tsp.) freshly grated ginger

100 g (¹/₂cup) fresh white button mushrooms, minced

100 g (¹/₂cup) second variety of minced fresh mushrooms (such as portabellos)

2 green onions, minced Mushrooms are a versatile, flavourful ⁶⁰ ^mL ⁽¹^/⁴^cup) ^35% ^cream

Salt to taste and easy-to-prepare complement to any meal ^{Tabasco sauce to taste}

1. Soak both types of dried mushrooms _By _Anne _Desjardinstogether for at least 30 minutes in 300 mL (1¹/₄cups) of very hot water. Mince and soak Rare, mysterious, flavour- poses. The mycelium, consist- sun-dried tomatoes for at least 30 minutes in ful and even magic, ing of white filaments spread- ¹⁰⁰ ^mL ^(about ¹^/2 ^cup) ^of ^hot ^water. ^Conserve_mushrooms _have _{been ing} _under _the _surface _ofthe liquid drained from the mushrooms and the consumed by humans humus, bark or rotten wood, is ^tomatoes ⁽⁴⁰⁰ ^{mL or} ¹²^/³^cups) ^and ^add ^to ^thefor thousands of years. They fas- the hidden but essential part. ^white ^wine; ^mixture ^should ^total ⁶⁰⁰ ^mLcinate and scare us at the same Without falling into scientific ⁽²¹^/²^cups) ^liquid. ^Rinse ^the ^barley ^and ^drain.time. Here in North America, jargon, I’d just like to note that ^2.^Mince ^the ^rehydrated ^dried ^mushroomsand 4 basil leaves, setting aside 4 nice-looking the first Europeans did not even most of the time mushrooms _leaves _for _decoration.include mushrooms in their list live in symbiosis with a species _3._Fry _the _minced _onion _in _a _little _olive _oil _withof edible foods. Prejudice and of tree or an ecosystem such as half the ginger until transparent, then add the lack of familiarity were surely a pine forest or a maple grove. rinsed barley, minced rehydrated mushrooms, the reasons. The ratio of humidity to heat is and half the minced rehydrated tomatoes; cook

JEAN-FRANÇOIS BÉRUBÉ

Mushroom gathering goes back to the what determines growth; the impact of all for 1 minute. Add the 600 mL of liquid and early days of mankind. Drawings of mush- these factors makes mushroom growing very cook over medium heat for approximately ²⁰rooms have been found in pharaohs’ tombs. complex. ^minutes. ^Set ^aside.

The Chinese grew shiitakes on oak stumps From time immemorial, people have ^4.^When ^you’re ^almost ^ready ^to ^serve, ^brownprior to 1,000 B.C. According to descriptions tried to improve their understanding of mush- ^the ^minced ^fresh ^mushrooms, ^minced ^greenof their banquets, ancient Greeks and Romans room growing because some varieties are so ^onions ^and ^minced ^basil ⁱⁿ ^a ^little ^olive ^oil. ^Set_were _crazy _about _mushrooms. _History _{also delicious} _and _in _such _demand _that _they _fetch_aside. _Brown _the _cooked _barley _in _olive _oil _{over medium} _heat _for ₁ _minute. _Add _the _rest _of _thereveals famous poisonings, which has surely an extremely high price on the market. _{dried tomatoes, the fresh mushroom mixture}fed our distrust. Truffles, for example, have earned the nick- _and _cream. _Add _salt _and _Tabasco _to _taste, _scoopMore than 300,000 different species of name “black diamonds” and can sell for more onto a warmed platter and decorate with fresh
mushrooms have been categorized on the than $2,000 a kilo on the Canadian market. basil leaves. Makes 4 servings.
planet, in a variety of shapes, sizes, flavours Rare but also highly appreciated and pricey
and toxicity. Of these, only 30 or so species are are morels and boletus (porcini in Italian).
edible, easily identifiable and gastronomically Some varieties of mushroom can be dried
worthwhile. to prolong their shelf life. Drying mushrooms

The Western world did not succeed in cul- is an ancient technique based on a simple idea: tivating mushrooms until Napoleon I; the first Large numbers of mushrooms are quickly successes were with white button mushrooms, cleaned, placed on screens and exposed to dry today’s most popular cultivated variety. air for complete dehydration. They can be Button mushrooms are delicious and com- conserved for long periods and regain most of monly available in farmers’ markets and their flavour when rehydrated. With their supermarkets. characteristically strong flavours, shiitakes,

and they perform masterfully in this issue’s recipe. I find fresh as well as dried mushrooms indispensable for giving depth to a recipe. They are wonderful for heightening flavours, and I use them to round out a recipe or to add body to the flavour of a sauce.

Here is a recipe that will enable you to appreciate both dried and fresh mushrooms. Enjoy your meal! C

Even today mushroom cultivation is not boletus and morels are prime candidates for easy: These are complex organisms. The this type of preservation. Anne Desjardins is the award-winning chef and part we eat and call a mushroom is the fruit I love mushrooms and use a great variety, owner of L’Eau à la Bouche, a hotel-restaurant that produces spores for reproductive pur- both wild and cultivated, in my restaurant, located in Sainte-Adèle, Québec.