Hickory Jack Mushrooms can be eaten in a variety of ways but the preparation of them before cooking is very important. They must never be peeled or washed. It is best to simply brush off any dirt and wipe them clean with a damp cloth. Check the gill spaces for any insects or bugs. The reason water should be avoided is that this mushroom is naturally very moist.
Cut off all the spoiled section and the lower stems of the mushroom. The stem is a lot tougher than the rest of the mushroom and should be finely chopped before cooking.
Hickory Jack mushrooms are a mushroom with a very fresh aroma and tend to grow in late summer, autumn and early winter. Their proper name is Pleurotus ostreatus. They are known as oyster mushrooms and have been known to be useful in reducing cholesterol. The mushroom can grow in many places, including on the sides of trees and are frequently used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cookery.
The advantage with these mushrooms is that they are no poisonous lookalikes, so when picking them fresh there is no danger of collecting unwanted items, although you should be extremely careful when picking any mushroom. Make sure you are aware of the different types of mushroom and their appearance, and also what they smell like. The mushrooms have a fan-shaped cap and they can be white, grey or brown in colour. They are best picked when young as when they age they can take on a distinctly unpleasant flavour.
The mushrooms can be used in a number of dishes including soups, stir-fries and sauces. Boiling, frying and steaming are popular ways to cook the mushrooms although they can also be grilled and baked. They also contain arabitol, a sugar alcohol. This is responsible for gastrointestinal upset in some cases.
Cut off all the spoiled section and the lower stems of the mushroom. The stem is a lot tougher than the rest of the mushroom and should be finely chopped before cooking.
Hickory Jack mushrooms are a mushroom with a very fresh aroma and tend to grow in late summer, autumn and early winter. Their proper name is Pleurotus ostreatus. They are known as oyster mushrooms and have been known to be useful in reducing cholesterol. The mushroom can grow in many places, including on the sides of trees and are frequently used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cookery.
The advantage with these mushrooms is that they are no poisonous lookalikes, so when picking them fresh there is no danger of collecting unwanted items, although you should be extremely careful when picking any mushroom. Make sure you are aware of the different types of mushroom and their appearance, and also what they smell like. The mushrooms have a fan-shaped cap and they can be white, grey or brown in colour. They are best picked when young as when they age they can take on a distinctly unpleasant flavour.
The mushrooms can be used in a number of dishes including soups, stir-fries and sauces. Boiling, frying and steaming are popular ways to cook the mushrooms although they can also be grilled and baked. They also contain arabitol, a sugar alcohol. This is responsible for gastrointestinal upset in some cases.
