RecipesThe Magic of Mushrooms
No doubt food eaten within natural season and grown locally tastes far better. Mushrooms are in season, there is an array of fine recipes including many with tasty and versatile fungus. If you leave near a green the temptation is to foray, however this lovely little vegetable comes with a warning: know your mushrooms before cooking them. Rare are these that will kill the diner, however they can make people really sick. There is an other consideration, though it is great fun to pick your own food, with mushroom, they are very fiddly and require a lot of rinses before you can get rid of all the grit. If you decided to go ahead with the picking option rather than the supermarket, make sure you use a knife to cut the mushroom clean rather than pull it. Take Chanterelles for example, these beautiful mushrooms have an exquisite texture and are probably the most versatile of all wild fungi as they have so many uses in cooking. Great in cooking recipes with fish, perfect partners for game, beef and duck, like in the best restaurants. All chefs who often are verse on dietetic will explain the magic of mushroom by little known simple facts:
*Mushrooms contain 3 times the antioxidant than tomatoes
*14 button mushrooms or 80g serving counts towards the 5 A DAY target
*They are a good source of easily absorbed high quality protein containing more than other vegetables
*Mushrooms are low in carbohydrates and fat
With classy dishes, presentation is key, it is worth investing a little time in napkin folding.