Oak mushroom; Chinese black mushroom; forest mushroom; golden oak.
Lentinus Edodes are grown commercially around China on logs that are taken from the oak related Shii tree. As knowledge of cultivation techniques have spread, fresh shiitake are increasingly available in Western supermarkets - spring and autumn being the main seasons.
Cooks Tips
- Dried shiitake need reconstituting (soak in hot water for 25 minutes) before being used
- They have a chewy texture and a robust beefy smoky sweetness that remains even after lengthy cooking.
- Suitable for almost any cooking method, particularly sautéing, broiling and baking.
- Stems are very tough and should be removed before cooking and reserved for flavouring soup stocks but don't forget to remove them before serving.
Vegetarian Hot & Sour Soup
4 Dried shiitake mushrooms - pre-soaked and drained 125g Tofu 60g Bamboo shoots (canned) 600ml Vegetable stock 60g Peas 13ml Dark soy sauce 25ml White wine vinegar 25ml Cornflour Salt lots Black pepper - freshly ground sesame oil
Cut mushrooms, bamboo and tofu into thin strips. Bring stock to boil then add mushrooms, bamboo and tofu and peas and simmer for 2 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, cornflour with 25ml of stock. Stir into the soup with the remaining stock and the liquid drained from pre-soaking mushrooms. Add salt and lots of pepper and simmer for a final 2 minutes.
Serve hot in small bowls with 1 drop of sesame oil per bowl.
- Preparation - 10
- Cooking - 12
- Feeds - 4
- Region - China
- Source - Chinese Cooking
Wine-braised flower mushrooms on spinach
18-24 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms 1250g Fresh Spinach 20ml Peanut (Groundnut) Oil 3 Garlic Cloves 300ml Rice Wine/Alsace/Fruity Wine
Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes and remove the stalks. Trim the spinach of any hard stalks and blanch it in plenty of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, run it under cold water, and dry thoroughly (between layers of paper towels).
Oil an oven-proof dish or casserole and cover the bottom with spinach. Peel and thinly slice the garlic and lay this on the spinach. Arrange the mushrooms on top, rounded surfaces uppermost. Pour on the wine, cover and cook at 170°C, (gas mark 3) in the bottom half of the oven until the mushrooms are tender and succulent (about one hour depending on their age).
- Preparation - 30
- Cooking - 60
- Feeds - 4-6
- Region - Chinese
- Source - Times
Stir Fried Chinese Cabbage with mushrooms and dried shrimps
450g Chinese white cabbage 6 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms 20ml Dried Shrimps 80ml Vegetable Oil 15g Lard 1tsp Salt 1tsp Sugar 20ml Light Soy Sauce 80ml Chicken stock 10ml Sesame oil
Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes and remove the stalks. Soak the shrimps in separate container. Dry off any excess water and cut the mushrooms into quarters.
Heat the vegetable oil and lard in a wok or frying pan. When hot, stir-fry the mushrooms and shrimps for 30 seconds. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the salt, sugar, soya sauce and stock and continue to stir-fry for another minute. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for a further 1 minute. Sprinkle on the sesame oil and toss. Serve hot.
- Preparation - 30
- Cooking - 10
- Feeds - 4-6
- Region - Chinese
- Source - Kenneth Lo
Santa Barbara Stir Fry
20ml Olive Oil 4 Spring Onions 1 Red Pepper 1 Yellow Pepper 100g Fresh/Reconstituted Shiitake Mushrooms 2 Carrots 2 Courgettes 100g Bean Sprouts 50g Mangetout 40ml Hoisin Sauce 40ml Water 150g Raisins Salt & Pepper
Top and tail carrots and courgettes. Slice into long strips along with the peppers and Spring Onions. Sauté these along with the mangetout, bean sprouts and mushrooms with the olive oil for several minutes. Add hoisin sauce, water, raisins and seasoning. Boil for 1-2 minutes. Serve on its own or with rice.
- Preparation - 10
- Cooking - 5
- Feeds - 4
- Region - USA/Chinese
- Source - Raisins Advert
Quick Shitake & Noodles
10ml Sesame Oil 30ml Vegetable Oil 30ml Soy Sauce 1tsp Sugar 4 Spring Onions, chopped into 2cm lengths 200g Noodles (cooked and rinsed) 100g Mangetouts 1 Clove of garlic, crushed 200g Fresh/Reconstituted Shiitake Mushrooms
Make a dressing by mixing Soy sauce, sugar and sesame Oil and put to one side. Stir fry spring onions in vegetable oil with the garlic until the garlic starts to brown. Add shitakes and mangetouts and stirfry for another 2 minutes. Add the pre-cooked noodles and mix until they are heated through. Remove from heat and mix with the dressing.
- Preparation - 10
- Cooking - 5
- Feeds -
- Region - ?
- Source - Wallpaper