I LOVE mushrooms, especially portobello mushrooms!. They are a great vehicle for other foods but also fabulous all on their own! Here are a few simple tips for making your mushroom experience fabulous!
BIGGEST TIP EVER: DO NOT SALT or WASH YOUR SHROOMS!!! Mushrooms are mostly water so adding salt or water will make them release their moisture and become mushy yucky gross… I could go on…simply put, do not directly salt your mushrooms if you want them to keep their yummy flavor and shape. Ok PSA done… soapbox stored…back to your regularly scheduled program.
Remove Residual Dirt:
Take a paper towel and lightly rub off any dirt
Make Mushroom Cups:
1. Using a spoon or your hand remove the mushroom stem by pinching it at the base where it meets the cap and twisting slightly until it releases.
TIP: save these and chop them up to put in whatever filling I make.
2. Using a spoon gently scrape out the gills of the mushroom (otherwise known as the black stringy stuff surrounding the stem).
TIP: be careful not to scrape the sides too hard or you will split the mushroom and no longer have a mushroom cup to hold your yumminess!