Our Five Favorite Spring Cooking Mushrooms

March showers mean a lot of humidity and wet conditions for the first stages of the spring season. All of this moisture in the air also means perfect conditions for mushrooms to flourish. Mushrooms are one of the most nutritious options you can incorporate into your dishes. They boast an incredibly high concentration of iron and other antioxidants. Any chef is going to keep a well-supplied stock of mushrooms around. They offer versatility, nutrition, and can stand alone or absorb the flavors of any dish without compromising its overall integrity. 

Mushrooms, whether fresh for a salad or sauteed for a hot dish, are a great way to excite your patrons. Let’s keep ourselves safe and take a look at five of our favorite spring-cooking mushrooms no restaurant should go without.

Porcini

Our first recommendation is porcini mushrooms. These short and round mushrooms have been prized additions to French and Italian cuisine for years. Also known as “penny bun” mushrooms, they are an Autumn specialty that can be used either fresh or dried. These tasty friends can be noted by their brown caps and thick, round stalks. Skilled chefs want the fresh varieties to saute in pasta dishes or risottos. The dried versions add those rich flavors to both broths and stews alike.

Chanterelle

It might seem odd to describe a mushroom as “meaty,” but for chanterelle mushrooms, we make an exception. This is one of the most common types of mushrooms you will hear about when doing personal research. The chanterelle is yellow or orange, denser, and comes in an assortment of funnel-like shapes. Like most other fungi, these funnel-shaped friends are forageable. Unlike other fungi, they are much easier to spot and harvest. When added to dishes, they offer a rich flavor profile with an aroma as sweet as the ripest apricots. This versatile option is adored by chefs all around for its adaptability.

Enoki

You might have seen these thin, clustered mushrooms in shows or are your local Asian markets. Enoki mushrooms are a staple of Eastern Asian cuisine and are common to Japanese and Chinese dishes. They have a subtle flavor and are more commonly used as toppings for soups and stews, such as various hot pots and ramen bowls.

Maitake

Also known as the hen-of-the-woods, trying this earthy delight is nothing to chicken out of. This is another fungus that has made a name for itself amongst Chinese and Japanese cuisines. Maitake mushrooms have a similar earthy flavor to porcini and shiitake mushrooms. They get their nickname from the many folds that make up their appearance looking like the folds of feathers on a hen. 

Trust us when we say that there is nothing fowl about these tasty fungi. They have become popular additions to stir-fries, sauces, and stews. They are even great to simply add aesthetic value to a plate due to their pleasing appearance, and also are harder to find than standard bellas, buttons, porcinis, and shiitake mushrooms. No chef can go without this nutty addition to their stores.

King Oyster

While not necessarily the “king” of mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms stand tall amongst their fungi friends. They are dense, offering a meaty texture and rich umami flavors. Vegans adore them for their ability to function as scallops when cut from the side. These mushrooms are native to Mediterranean regions, the Middle East, and Africa, and are widely cultivated throughout Asian cultures. Rely on these as a great meat substitute or simply a decadent addition to any sauteed dish, sauce, or stew. A chef will know where they fit in, by either making the perfect, velvety broth or searing the sliced sections for an umami-packed side to any dense protein.

All in One Place

The best thing about these five mushrooms is that they can all be ordered from Agri Exotic Trading. Eliminate the hassle of hunting them down in the woods or on your bulk shopping searches and get them delivered directly to your restaurant. You’ll be saying “umami” in no time as Agri Exotic seeks to keep chef’s supplied with only the most exquisite of ingredients.