Mushroom barbacoa? As in vegetarian barbacoa? *dodges tomatoes* Absolutely. It might seem odd at first glance, but mushrooms, especially in Mexico, have been eaten as a substitute for meat in some areas for a long time, so simmering them in spicy chili broth and eating with tortillas or stuffed into a burrito isn’t really that much…
Hen of the Woods / Maitake
Hen of the Woods or Maitake mushrooms are one of the easiest mushrooms to identify I know, as well as one of the largest. Some can grow to be over 50 lbs! If you're new to them, check out my introductory guide to hen of the woods. There's tons of ways to cook them, but my original Hen of the Woods Mushroom Steaks are a crowd favorite, as are Pickled Hens.
Mushroom Taco Meat (Vegetarian)
Faced with a couple bags of frozen hen of the woods mushrooms this year, I set out to come up with some trusty ways to eat through large hauls of mushrooms quickly. These mushroom tacos were one of the winners, and they’re a great way to use up that winter stash before the season comes,…
Grilled Hen of the Woods with Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette
There’s something so primal about a big hen of the woods and breaking off giant clusters to cook whole like a piece of meat, there a great entry level mushroom too, easy to identify, big in size, typically worm-free, delicious. I don’t know any cooking technique more raw than cooking over burning wood, so…
The Wild Harvest | Episode 6: Autumn
Episode six is the last entry in The Wild Harvest for 2020. From the start, back in April, Jesse and I had planned on featuring hen of the woods for this episode, along with whatever else I could come up with. Eventually hens turned into maitake when we got closer to the shoot date and…
Sicilian Chicken of the Woods
Think eating chicken of the woods is strictly an American thing? The continents separated a long time ago, but we still share many of the same mushrooms, at least as far as culinary purposes are concerned (specific species are another story). Doing research with Jesse for The Wild Harvest show as we planned Episode 3…
Roasted Chicken or Hen of the Woods Stock
Chicken of the woods stock, made with woody trim from a large haul is a good example of one of the best parts about hunting wild mushrooms: not only do you get to bear witness to the incredible volume of nature’s bounty, you get to take it home, too, and you can often find yourself…
Wild Mushroom Chili
Back when I was the chef at Lucia’s restaurant, making vegetarian chili was a twice a week ritual as it was one of the most popular take-away items served at the deli connected to the restaurant. We served a simple vegetarian chili, filled with all the things you’d expect, and it was good, for vegetarian…
Hen of the Woods Roast with Leeks and Black Walnuts
Since hen of the woods can have such a large size, I love swapping them out for meat in recipes. With the maitake coming up in earnest in late September/October right now I’ve had more than my share of them hanging out in the fridge waiting to get cooked, so big ol’chunk of hen has…
