How To Clean Hen Of The Wood Mushroom

It is finally here...the Autumnal Equinox, Fall, Mabon, the changing of the guards (and I must say, I think these guards have the best uniforms), the first mean solar day of Autumn...my favorite season and I am beyond prepare to give thanks for Summer'due south bounty and start foraging for comforts of the new season! I was blessed to receive a gorgeous Hen of the Forest mushroom a couple of days ago from my neighbors. Their family had gone out mushroom hunting and came back with 7...7!...bags of mondo specimens of this bawdy, pungent, autumn mushroom! Hen of the Woods, also known as Maitake, Sheep's Head, Ram'due south Caput or Chicken of the Forest, is a perennial mushroom. So, if you tin remember where you found this dazzler (probably at the base of a sturdy hardwood or pino tree) yous tin can become dorsum and collect some other next year. Maitake have been used for Medicinal purposes in their native Japan and in China for many years "due to their ability to regulate claret pressure, glucose, insulin, and both serum and liver lipids, such every bit cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids. Some think may also be useful for weight loss. They are also Maitake is rich in minerals (such equally potassium, calcium, and magnesium), various vitamins (B2, D2 and Niacin), fibers and amino acids."* These mushrooms tin can grow very large...the one I have is about a foot broad! I'm not sure how much it weighed because I'm a bad foodie without a calibration just it was pretty heavy. Of course, some of that weight may have been contributed by all the footling critters taking up residence in its many nooks & crannies. Ick. I am a nature-lover and all, but insects in all their creepy awesome glory, still give me the willies. I don't run screaming or anything, but I do become a good shiver. Needless to say, it is very of import that you lot make clean the Hen of the Forest well before using them. Make full your sink, or an extra large bowl with warm water and salt. I halved the big mass and one one-half at a time, dunked it into the prepared h2o. This volition become out the critters and debris that are trapped or hiding. Five minutes should exist sufficient. While I'g doing this, I cut off the woody base of operations and separate the mushroom a fleck. You lot may have to motion-picture show some smaller bugs off with your finger or the tip of a paring knife. Encounter the muddied, issues filled water you'll have when you lot're washed. Merely trust me, it's well worth information technology!

Remove from the water afterward ~v minutes and gently rub off any excess dirty that may exist clinging. Now you lot have make clean Hen of the Woods to do with what you will!And since I know that you lot desire to know what I did with them....I fabricated a perfect meal to celebrate Fall...earthy and delicious!

Hen of the Woods w/ Craven & Herbs

by girlichef

1 Tbs + 2 Tbs. Butter, divided

~i lb. Chicken Thighs, boneless & skinless (or not)

Bounding main Common salt

Black Pepper, freshly basis

2 pocket-size Onions, sliced thin

iii-4 cloves Garlic, peeled & smashed

3 large handfuls (double-handed) Hen of the Forest Mushrooms, free of dirt & debris

few glugs White Wine

3-5 fresh Sage leaves

2 sprigs Rosemary

few sprigs fresh Thyme

1/2 c. Craven Stock

Brainstorm past slicing or chopping your Hen of the Woods into big pieces and set aside. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high so drop in 1 Tbs. of butter and add your chicken thighs, seasoned w/ bounding main table salt & pepper. Sauté until the kickoff side is browned, then flip over. Once second side has begun to brownish (they will not be cooked through), remove the craven to a plate until you're ready to add it dorsum in.

Drop your onion & garlic into the pan and begin to sauté them in the fat that the chicken thighs left in the skillet. Once they have begun to soften and turn golden, add in another Tbs...or ii of butter. The mushrooms honey to soak up liquid, and then exist sure to add together enough. Drop in your prepared mushrooms. Stir everything around in the pan, and in one case the mushrooms have begun to soften and dark-brown slightly, add your few glugs of white vino. Scrape up any fond that had developed on the bottom of the pan. Add your herbs to the pan, cascade in your chicken stock and nestle your chicken thighs back into the mushroom mixture. Once the liquid has come up to a good chimera, cover the pan and reduce heat to a low simmer for ~20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Conform seasoning to taste with more sea salt & black pepper. I served over egg noodles with some green beans on the side. Delicious, comforting, bawdy, rustic...the perfect way to say welcome to Fall!! Are yous wondering if I had whatsoever Hen of the Woods left? I mean that was a biggun, correct! Aye, I definitely did. I decided to try my manus at preserving to see which methods I liked best. Kickoff, I scattered some on a sheet pan to freeze. I've read that yous exercise not need to blanch or pre-treat Hen of the Woods equally you lot practice most other mushrooms, so I didn't....they froze up very nicely and I transferred them to freezer bags. We'll see what happens when I try to put them to use next time. I'll be sure to requite you lot an update. I too accept a batch in the dehydrator correct at present, merely those won't exist done for at least some other 24-hour interval, so once more...update to follow. And I'yard going to give you fair warning....dehydrating them completely and totally stinks up the business firm. The kids are pretty unhappy about that right at present. And I have to say, I'm not particularly enjoying it either, just it'southward looking like the end result will justify the means. I found some great tips on storing them here .

9/23/09~UPDATE!! This is my quart sized bag of dehydrated Hen of the Woods Mushrooms. So amazing how much water is in them...I started out with about the same amount that is on the sheet pan above for freezing and they dried downward to this!! I tin't await to use them in something this manner. I feel pretty cool to have stale my own mushrooms. ;) Information technology worked so well!

*source: Wikipedia

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