The classic all rounder, white button mushrooms are available all year round. The smooth white caps are rounded, firm, and spongy with an edible short dense white stem. One of the most cultivated varieties, they are closely related to swiss brown (cremini) mushroom and portobello, with the only difference being colour and age. When raw, they are mild with a crisp texture, and when cooked, they develop an earthy flavour with a tender, chewy texture.
The swiss brown mushroom, also known as Cremini or Crimini is in between a white button and portobello. All the same variety, the swiss brown is a mature version of the white button and is an immature portobello, harvested before the cap opens. Swiss brown have a browner colour, firmer texture and more in depth flavour than the younger white button mushrooms.
The larger, more mature of the other two common mushroom varieties, portobellos hold their shape well and are excellent for grilling or roasting. This tan coloured, wide, circular, flat cap fungi has a dense, chewy, meaty texture that is smoky and earthy in flavour.
Its sprout-like appearance with small caps and thin, long, stems, cultivated enoki mushrooms are white and are the most common. Its wild counterpart have caps that are typically dark brown or yellowish orange almost golden in colour. Enoki has a stringy, crunchy texture and fruity flavour, quite unlike any other mushroom and is excellent when served raw in hot soups and lightly cooked in stir-frys.
Off-white to shades of light brown, cultivated oyster mushrooms have a unique bittersweet scent reminiscent of sweet anise or liquorice. Subtly tasting like an oyster with mild nutty nuances, its chewy texture is more suited to cooked dishes such soups, stews and sauces. The subtle taste allows the mushroom to take on flavours especially from sautéing and stir frying.
Eryngii, also known as king oyster or king trumpet oyster mushrooms are closely related to regular oyster mushrooms. They have a large stem that has a desirably meaty and hearty texture with a combination of chewiness and smoothness. When cooked, the mushrooms enhance complementary ingredients making the dish deliciously umami in flavour.
Also known as the Hen of the Woods, maitake mushrooms has a meaty texture resembling chicken which lends the mushroom one of its names. With a lower water content than most fungi, they have a desirably chewier texture which makes them perfect for adding a bit of texture to dishes. The firm, off white to light grey exterior is throughout as this polypore mushroom has no gills on the undersides.
Popular for their meaty texture and an intense earthy, smoky flavour, they are the second most commonly cultivated mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms are said to have 10 times the flavour compound of white button mushrooms. Sautéing them lightly is the best way to maintain their umami taste and nutritional profile. They are also great as a flavour booster in soups.
Hon-shimeji, Buna-shimeji, Bunapi-shimeji are the three commercially available varieties. Shimeji mushrooms offer a combination of crunchy texture and smooth, nutty flavour. The firmness stands up well to savoury herbs, garlic and onions. The shimeji varieties are somehwhat bitter in its raw state, but very enjoyable once cooked.
The beautiful, bright-orange coloured nameko mushroom has an earthy, foresty flavour that is enhanced when sautéed, and the silky texture is retained when lightly cooked. The layer of naturally occurring glossy, moist gelatine on the cap allows this wild needle mushroom to act as a light thickener for soups and sauces adding another dimension to dishes. Wonderfully complements meats and is better enhanced with the addition of shallot, dark green vegetables and miso.
One of the most intensely rich nutty flavour profiles, porcini or cep is a popular gourmet mushroom widely used in Italian and French cuisines. Wild porcini mushrooms may grow a rather large cap and is typically brown or reddish-brown with a slightly sticky texture. Not easily cultivated, this short seasoned wild mushroom is amazingly versatile and delicate to add depth to consommés and sauces yet rich and heady enough to accentuate red meat.
Amongst the most popular of wild edible mushrooms, funnel-shaped chanterelles come in a few varying colours, orange, yellow or white. Their flavour profile can range from a fruity, peppery flavour to an earthy, nutty taste. The meaty flesh can be soft when fresh but becomes somewhat chewy in texture when cooked which makes them excellent with meats, fish, eggs or as fillings. Best prepared with a dry sauté.
Morels vary in appearance, from oblong to bulbous, blonde to grey, their size can be fingertip small to palm-sized. The distinctive taste of morels described as a combination of earthy and nutty, woodsy and toasted has a delectable flavour that is deep not overpowering and distinct without being unpalatable. Its texture is meaty but in a tender way. Less is more applies when cooking morels, a light sauté with butter and garlic does wonders.
The most desired in the culinary world and highly valued as delicacies, truffles are subterranean fungi which technically does not make them mushrooms. Black truffles have an earthy, garlicky almost pungent flavour and a slightly woody, musky aroma that is further enhanced by gentle cooking. The white truffle has highly intensified, complex flavours and deeply distinctive aromas and is usually served raw so as to experience all of its glory.
