For as long as I can remember, my father has hated mushrooms. He's called them every name in the book: chewy, tasteless, fatty, gross. As the stand-alone vegetarian in a family full of meat eaters, my feelings were hurt. Sure, I'd scoff anytime he ordered veal, but for the most part I was accepting of his meat-fueled meals. Why so much hatred for the mushroom?

I now realize it likely had to do with selection and cooking—or lack thereof. As a kid, we were limited to supermarket-shipped portobellos that were more recognizable for their blue styrofoam carton than their actual quality, and my family ate them raw in salads or masked in cream sauce. But now I’m seeing all kinds of mushrooms pop up in supermarkets and farmers’ markets. For a vegetarian, the world is now my oyster mushroom.

And as Lee Chizmar, executive chef of Bolete in Bethlehem, PA, showed me in his kitchen, the perfect mushroom isn't drenched in last night's drippings and doesn't have that waterlogged, rubbery texture my father hated. The secret, Lee says, is high heat, caramelization, and striking a balance between crispy and tender.

I made mushrooms again at home after Chizmar taught me the following process. It worked. His steps are nearly foolproof. These are mushrooms so good, even my dad might like them.

1. Fresh mushrooms won't appear frayed, brittle, or slimy. Choose your shrooms accordingly. Chizmar's cooking with fresh oyster mushrooms in this photo series.

2. For oyster mushrooms, remove the outer mushrooms from the woody cluster with a paring knife.

3. Split the mushrooms into manageable, fork-sized pieces, brushing away any dirt that might be clinging to the mushroom.

4. Heat vegetable oil in a stainless steel pan over high heat.

5. Cook only a handful of mushrooms at a time to limit moisture. Too much moisture will cause the mushrooms to steam in their own juices rather than sauté.

6. Stir (or flip) the mushrooms to prevent burning or sticking as they caramelize.

7. Add a pinch of salt to season and pull moisture from the mushrooms during the latter stages of cooking.

8. As the sizzle dies down, turn to the heat down to medium-high and cook until a nutty aroma develops. At that point, the mushrooms are cooked.

9. Lower the heat to medium, and then add a tablespoon of butter and two sprigs of fresh thyme.

10. Hit the mushrooms with a few drops of sherry vinegar to balance the mushrooms' earthy flavor.

11. Remove the thyme and serve immediately.

 

Via: How To Saut Mushrooms