Mushrooms

I wish that I had another lifetime in which to study mycology. The world of fungi is so fascinating and full of mystery! And how much better can it get than to spend your "work day" foraging through the woods? They come in so many different shapes, sizes, and colors... a single colony of fungi can have dozens of different personalities in its fruiting bodies. Take this one, for example:

I spotted this adorable little family growing in Rickett's Glen last July.  See the camera-shy, self-conscious teenager hiding behind little sister on the right-hand side?  The overbearing father in the rear left?  And we can't forget the plump, always-worried mother in front, who has neglected her own health and happiness in her attempts to manage her family.

Not only are they fascinating to look at, but many are nutritious and delicious too (but not the ones pictured above, mind you... they look something like the Amanita "Death Cap" mushroom, but I never fully identified them...)!  I am a firm believer in the idea that many species of edible fungi have amazing medicinal properties.  Let's talk about chaga.  This has to be one of my favorite mushrooms.  It grows on wounds in the trunks of birch trees, looks like a nasty black/brown tumor, but acts as a sort of sterile dressing for the tree's wound.  This reciprocal relationship won my heart over before I'd even tasted chaga... but then I learned that it is quite tasty when the dried fungus is brewed as a "chai" tea, or when mixed in with coffee and brewed in french press, and I truly fell in love.  This species has been shown to have immune-stimulating and cancer-fighting effects.  It has become part of my daily diet.

There are entire volumes out there detailing the medicinal properties of mushrooms, and I could not nearly do them justice here.  Some of the best are "Medicinal Mushroom" by Christopher Hobbs and "Adaptogens" by David Winston.  So read up and decide for yourself if you can fit a little extra fungus in your day... and perhaps this recipe (one of my all-time favorites) that I got from a mycologist named Terry-Anye Hayes will tempt your palette in the meantime...

Mushroom Tempeh

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a deep fry pan.  Slice a package of tempeh into 1/4" strips, and saute until lightly browned.  Set aside. 

Boil a good few handfuls of red skinned potatoes until cooked through (but not mushy!), chop into quarters and set aside.

Select an assortment of tasty fresh mushrooms, like shitake, oyster, or morel (if you have fresh morels, I ENVY YOU).  Saute these in butter over medium-low heat until cooked through, for at least 20 minutes. 

In the meantime, chop a bunch of scallions or one medium onion, 2 cloves of garlic (or more!!), and a leek or fennel bulb if you have some handy.  Saute in olive oil until soft. 

Toss in the potatoes and tempeh, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste, and cook until the potatoes are nicely browned and crisp.  Serve the cooked mushrooms on top, and prepare to writhe with pleasure.