Just saying the name makes me salivate. Maitake. I have no idea how it properly is pronounced, probably "may-tack-ee," but I say it "Mmmm, my take." Or, to make it easier, I use the nickname, "Hen of the Woods."
Hen of the Woods are the most fantastic mushroom I've had the privilege to try. They are rich and earthy, easy to cook, and full of vitamins (for us vegans, they are the only food source of vitamin D). They even look exotic: like some extraterrestrial or deep sea life form.
They are a perfect balance of rich flavor without the taste being too strong -- personally, I don't use portabella often because the taste is too strong. From what I'm told, truffles far exceed even Hens, but I have consciously avoided trying truffles for the sake of wanting to enjoy mushrooms I could afford.
Maybe I wouldn't be as passionate about these mushrooms if they were easier to find. Because they cannot be farmed, and are seasonal, they are not just expensive (Wegmans had them at $12.99/lb, which is $2-7 cheaper than usual), but also a hard find. In the past 3 years I have found them twice at Living Earth in Worcester, and once at the new Wegmans in Northborough. Since I have yet to join the Berkshire Mycological Society and learn how to find them myself, I can't come anywhere near getting them often enough to discover if it's possible to get tired of them.
How to Cook Maitake (Hen of the Woods) Mushrooms With Few Ingredients
Step 1: Wash in lukewarm water, either plain or using a vegetable safe wash. I threw mine in a big ol' spaghetti pot with the last of my Environné. Then drain and rinse.
Step 2: Pick a pan. All I hear when I talk about quality cooking is "cast iron, cast iron, cast iron!" Unfortunately, I found that all the large pans weighed too much for me to use comfortably, so the only cast iron pan pan I own is super tiny. By default, the non-stick pan became my tool today.
Step 3: Pick an oil. This was tough for me because I love the way peanut oil makes most things taste, but, again, I wanted to preserve the taste of the mushrooms as much as possible. I opted for Olive Oil the first time and peanut oil the second time: comparison taste test was a real tough choice, but I think the peanut gives it just a little more of a kick and makes it slightly crisper, which I like.
Step 4: Slice into strips. A lot of pieces probably will fall off during washing, which is totally fine and kind of even a time saver.
Step 5: Toss a bit of oil into your pan (seriously, I just go by feel, but I suppose if I measured it, I would have used 2 or 3 teaspoons) and heat on medium-high. Fry, stirring, for 5 or 6 minutes. It will turn a darker brown and smell good. My stomach usually rumbles to alert me a few seconds before the timer goes off. If you aren't sure, grab one of the smaller pieces and taste test. When they're ready, remove the mushrooms from the pan. Leave the juice in the pan -- when I made mine, the juice clung to the mushrooms, so I pressed them lightly with a spatula to let a little of the juice out.
Step 6: Toss some bread in the pan and toast. Ideally it will be high quality, artisan bread, but I couldn't find any that was vegan at the store, so I just used the vegan bread I already had, and it turned out incredibly delicious!
Step 7: Scoop mushrooms onto toasted bread. I like a tiny sprinkle of sea salt on mine, but find that it is so flavorful that no other seasoning is needed.
Mmmmm ready to eat!
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
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