Do you peel mushrooms before cooking?

Unlike other veg that you would naturally wash under running water or peel the skin away before cooking, mushrooms are quite different.

 

Due to the soft and porous nature of their flesh, you don’t want to wash mushrooms as they will take on the water content. You also don’t want to peel away their flesh, as the entire mushroom is edible and there is no reason to discard good food!

Instead of peeling or washing, use a cooking brush with dry bristles or a paper towel to get rid of any light residue on the mushroom. Once you’ve cleaned the mushroom with a brush or paper towel, you can slice according to your preference. In this case, for a flat mushroom, the best way to slice is to cut off the stem, and stand the mushroom up on it’s flat side. Then simply slice lengthways and your mushroom slices are ready to be pan-fried, grilled or added to recipes like Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Mushroom Sauce or Mushroom Soufflé Omelette.

This same mushroom preparation method of lightly brushing to clean applies to all varieties of mushrooms. So whether your using cups, swiss or flats (find out about the different types of mushrooms here) give it a go with some of the recipes below!