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Charlotte Cooks

Ode to Oyster Mushrooms

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Charlotte Cooks Recipes

From Charlotte Cooks: Mushrooms

Ode to Oyster Mushrooms

All recipes property of Nourish Charlotte

Oyster Mushroom Scallops

makes 4 servings of 3-4 scallops each

  • 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/3 cup sake or a sweet white wine
  • 12 cloves garlic, whole
  • 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 piece kombu seaweed or several sheets nori
  • 1 pound king oyster mushrooms, large stems, sliced 1 centimeter thick, scored diagonally
  • 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or another high-heat friendly oil for sauteing

Bring first 8 ingredients to a simmer, cut heat and steep 10 minutes. Remove seaweed. Put cut mushrooms "scallops" in a flat dish and pour marinade over. Let mushrooms sit 20 minutes.

Heat just enough fat to thinly coat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add your scallops, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry 2-3 minutes a side until edges caramelize, then flip, using tongs, and cook the other side. Serve immediately.

Green Curry Paste

makes about 3/4 cup curry paste

  • 2 medium peppers, green, destemmed and deseeded
  • 1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons smoked salt
  • 4 pieces kaffir lime leaf, whole
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seed, ground
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro, whole stems
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric ground
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Blend all in a blender until a paste forms. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to a week.

Green Curry Sauce

Makes 4 cups sauce

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, unrefined
  • 3/4 cup green curry paste (see recipe above)
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/2 cup tamari
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 14oz cans coconut milk, full fat preferred

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium high heat and saute curry paste for about a minute, just to heat through. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook 4-5 minutes, add coconut milk and cut heat. Serve.

Coconut Rice

makes 4-6 servings

  • 2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 cup coconut milk, full fat
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Rinse rice thoroughly and drain well. Combine the coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar in a rice cooker or Instantpot. If using an Instantpot: add rice and cook on "high" pressure with a sealed vent for 7 minutes, and allow to release naturally for 10 minutes. If using a rice cooker, cook normally, but allow rice to sit, covered, for 8 minutes to ensure stickiness is achieved.

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Vinegar-based BBQ Sauce

Makes 1 1/2 cups

  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 8 cloves roasted garlic
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste (almost a full can)
  • 2 tablespoons smoked salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more, to taste

Blend all in a blender until smooth.

Pulled BBQ Oyster Mushrooms

For Sliders (or Tacos!)

makes 6 servings of two sliders or tacos each

  • 2 pounds king oyster mushrooms (about eight medium), smoked whole
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, unrefined, divided
  • 2/3 cup tamari
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 medium yellow onions, sliced thick
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce of your choice (or see recipe above)

Shred oyster mushrooms partially using a fork, then pull larger portions apart with your fingers to finish. Chop cap roughly. Toss shredded oyster mushrooms and chopped cap with seasonings and 2 tablespoons coconut oil and roast 20 minutes at 425f on a parchment-covered sheet pan. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons coconut oil in cast iron skillet and add sliced onion. Caramelize. Transfer roasted shrooms to the hot skillet and cook 4-6 minutes more until crispy, then add 1c BBQ sauce of choice, heat through, and serve on toasted corn tortillas or slider buns with fixin's.

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BONUS RECIPE

Eggplant Bacon

makes 1 sheet pan of bacon, 4-6 servings

  • One medium Italian eggplant
  • 1/4 cup tamari
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, unrefined, melted

Preheat oven to 225f. Quarter eggplant lengthwise and discard stem. With a mandoline set to its thinnest setting, run eggplant pieces over mandoline creating long, thin slices. In a medium bowl, toss sliced eggplant with marinade to coat thoroughly. Lay out the strips in one even layer (no overlapping) and bake 25-30 minutes, or until crisp and caramelized. Use immediately or transfer to a sealed container to store for up to 3 days on the counter.

The above recipe and technique can also be applied to carrots! Use three mediums, peeled.