Though these fungal flowers have gills and are certainly fleshy, spore-bearing buttons of weird, they’re also considered the meat of the vegetable world.
Mushrooms are naturally high in protein and iron, and contain a string of essential vitamins and nutrients, not commonly found in other veg.
It’s only because the common mushroom is so common that we forget just how strange it is that we eat fungi, which spontaneously and erratically spring up when conditions are ripe… for reasons unbeknownst to the uninitiated.
It’s no wonder that many communities still educate their young about wild-picking mushrooms. Mushroom farming is certainly an art but it’s also a precise science. Under the wrong conditions, mushroom crops can get contaminated, and edible varieties can be outcompeted by less savoury types.
So when you fry up your delicious and nutritious mushies this week, lend your awe to the 300 years of trial and error that made this wondrous food source available to us all, and not just those who know how to safely pick ‘em.
Happy Fair Food Feasting!
Straight from the press, these tasty morsels of fine food facts are just a tidbit about our grower Lance Robertson and his produce from Streamside Mushrooms in Lockwood South.
Our weekly member recipe
Martha Goes Green Recipe
Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms
Vegan option (serves 1-2)
Ingredients
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8-12 small-to-medium sized mushrooms
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1 clove of garlic
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5 sprigs of thyme
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1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter/ olive oil
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1/2 tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar
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Salt and pepper to taste
Method
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Clean dirt off mushrooms and cut in half if they’re large. Peel and chop garlic clove into 3-4 pieces.
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Heat a large pan over a medium heat but do not add oil or butter to the pan yet. Cooking on a hot and dry surface is needed at this stage.
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Add mushrooms, garlic and thyme to pan and cook, shaking now and then to get the mushrooms moving for 6-8 minutes, or until mushrooms release moisture and are soft to touch.
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Add butter/oil and add salt & pepper to taste. Shake pan to coat and cook until all liquid is absorbed.
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Add balsamic and cook for a further minute or so, until balsamic becomes a thick glaze coating the mushrooms.
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Remove thyme sprigs and garlic pieces before serving.
P.s. If you liked this story and you think a friend would like it too, share the Fair Food love and pass it on! |
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