Mushroom Mania

For mushroom lovers, spring means that locally grown specialty mushrooms reappear at farmers’ markets and in natural food stores. Plump, chewy shiitakes; meaty kind trumpets; slender, crunchy enokis; rare, delicate morels; feathery maitakes are the pick of the crop. Check out the five easy mushroom-marvelous recipes here.

Shiitake Mushroom Croque Monsieur

Shiitake mushrooms replace ham in this classic French café sandwich.

Find the recipe here. 

King Trumpet Carpaccio with Avocado, Cilantro, and Lime

This elegant first course features hearty king trumpet mushrooms, noted for their chewy, meaty texture.

Find the recipe here. 

Enoki Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Cucumber, and Ginger-Ponzu Vinaigrette

Delicately flavored enoki mushrooms, with their tiny caps and long stems, are featured in a light, refreshing salad with homemade ponzu, a popular citrus-based sauce widely used in Japanese cuisine.

Find the recipe here.

Farro with Morels, Asparagus, and Tarragon Gremolata

Morels lend an earthy, smoky flavor to a seasonal grain dish featuring fresh asparagus. Look for semi-pearled farro, which cooks in just 20 minutes, for this recipe.

Find the recipe here. 

Miso-Roasted Maitake Mushrooms and Eggplant with Sesame Seeds

Maitake mushrooms, also known as hen-of-the-woods, ram’s head, or sheep’s head mushrooms, have a woodsy, smoky flavor that pairs well with roasted vegetables.

Find the recipe here.