It's mushroom time! This weekend I've gotten really interested in mushrooms and all of the differet ways I can cook with them. Last night I made a chicken, rice, and mushroom stew. Tonight I'm making penne pasta with cream sauce that's lightly flavored with sherry (a white wine that every kid must vow not to drink before using it in their food). Lately, I've been using champignon mushrooms. They're small, white mushrooms that develop a darker color when cooked. They are about the same size as crimini mushrooms, but they're less expensive and are a different color. I also use portabello and crimini mushrooms often. But... what other mushrooms are there?
Now I'm starting to think about all of the other mushrooms out there that have been neglected by so many shoppers... which is why I've created the mushroom challenge! I challenge you, my readers and followers, to create a yummy dish using a mushroom that you've either never eaten or never cooked with. For those of you that hate mushrooms (I know what it's like, because I hated mushrooms until quite recently), then this is your opportunity to try a mushroom and love it. For those of you that have been limited to criminis (also spelled "cremini") and portabellos, then explore the lovely world of shrooms! I know that next time I go to Whole Foods, I'm going to pick up the weirdest looking mushorom I can find and make something incredible with it.
So, how does the mushroom challenge work? Just follow these easy steps.
1. Go to http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/guides/vegetables.php#mushrooms to discover all of the kinds of mushrooms that they sell and their qualities.
2. Go to Whole Foods (or another grocery store if you don't have a Whole Foods in your area) and pick up some mushrooms of your choice!
3. Research recipes using this type of mushroom. This will help you create your own recipe. If you are having trouble making a recipe, email me and I can help you out.
4. Make your food! If you want, take some pictures.
5. Email me at tweenchef123@gmail.com with your recipe, and maybe even some photos, and I'll make it too. Who knows? Maybe I'll even post it on the blog!
Remember, if you have any questions or need any help figuring out what to make, email me and I will gladly help you out.
By the way, champignon is the fancy name for white mushrooms. So don't freak out if you go to the store and they don't have champignon mushrooms, because they do, but they're using the more common name.
ReplyDeleteI have two recipes created for the mushroom challenge! I'm going to make them after my musical is over. I'm thinking about an Asian soup with tofu, vegetables, and enoki mushrooms. I also want to saute some chanterelle mushrooms to pair with maple syrup glazed salmon. What do you think of those?
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