In a pinch, you could also use a metal baking dish instead of a glass casserole dish. The glass dish is less likely to taint the delicate flavor of the porous mushrooms, though.
Chanterelles can be intimidating to clean at first, but they are not overly difficult to clean once you know what to do. Use a soft toothbrush or nylon mushroom brush to scrub off any dirt or debris from the smooth surface of each mushroom. Then, brush out the gills of each mushroom with the same brush while holding the mushroom under cool running water. Do not soak the mushrooms. For this method of preparation, you should use a sharp kitchen knife to cut each chanterelle into halves or quarters. These mushrooms are meaty and best enjoyed in large chunks.
The layers of mushroom and onion should both be even to ensure even cooking. Onion is a good accompaniment to chanterelle mushrooms. The vegetable has a potent enough flavor to season the mushrooms but will not overpower the taste of the mushrooms like many other vegetables will.
The ingredients do not need to be thoroughly combined, but the mushrooms should all be coated by the broth and cream.
Note that the cream should not be allowed to boil. If it begins to bubble around the edges, remove the dish from the oven.
The oil should not begin to smoke, but if a few drops of water are splashed into the pan, they should immediately sizzle and evaporate into steam upon contact.
Wipe each mushroom clean with a damp paper towel or moist, clean washcloth. Focus on the surface of each mushroom. Button mushrooms can be left whole, if desired, or cut into halves, quarters, or slices using a sharp kitchen knife.
Do not toss the mushrooms before they reach this stage of the cooking process. If you do, they will begin to steam, which is a sign that the have begun to release and lose liquid.
When done, the mushrooms should all be evenly and well browned on all sides.
Stir the mushrooms frequently as they cook.
Note that you can substitute chicken broth for the white wine, if necessary. The wine will deglaze the pan better and will impart a richer flavor, but the broth is an acceptable alternative.
Monitor the temperature of the cooking oil using a candy thermometer. You could also cook the mushrooms in a deep fryer or dutch oven.
Use a sharp knife to cut off the stems. The lower part of the stems can contain debris from straw or wood, and the stems, as a whole, are too tough to eat and should be discarded. Cut or tear the caps into small pieces for this method of cooking. Clean the gills of each cap by running them under rapidly moving water. Debris and insects frequently like to hide in these spaces. Use minimal water since these mushrooms are generally very moist. Dry by gently pressing the oyster mushrooms in between clean paper towels.
You can use either pastry flour or all-purpose flour for this batter. Pastry flour is less dense and will create a lighter batter.
When you remove the mushrooms from the batter, you should hold each piece above the mixing bowl for several seconds to allow excess batter to drip off.
Monitor the temperature of the oil as you fry the mushrooms. The temperature will fluctuate as the mushrooms are added and removed. Adjust the heat supply as needed to make up for this.
Wipe the mushrooms down with a clean, moist paper towel or kitchen washcloth. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut off the stems. The stems are fairly woody and fibrous, so you may discard them. Otherwise, save them for use in a flavor stock later on. Scrape out the dark black gills. These are edible, but the appearance leaves much to be desired, so they are usually removed. Pry the gills out with the tip of a metal spoon. Do not use the side of the spoon. You should be able to dig the gills out in neat, small chunks and avoid staining the cap. [5] X Research source
Scoring the caps will let the steam escape more easily. As a result, the mushrooms will cook more evenly, faster, and with minimal distortion or shrinkage.
Portobello mushrooms are one of the few mushrooms that take well to being marinated, but you should still avoid marinating them for more than 1 hour. Place the caps top-side-down when arranging them on your plate.
If using a gas grill, preheat most of the burners to medium-high or high. Give the grill a few minutes to heat up. If using a charcoal grill, pile a thick pile of charcoal in the center of the grill, add your lighter fluid, and light them up. Allow the fire to die down and do not add your mushrooms until white ash begins to form on the top of the coals.
To clean the mushrooms, either rinse them quickly under cool running water or wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel. Do not soak. Use a sharp paring knife to trim the stems at the point where they attach to the cap. The stems are too tough to eat, so you can discard them or use them to add flavor to stock later on. [7] X Research source Use your knife to cut the shiitake mushroom caps into small, bite-size pieces.
