12 Ozhen of the woodsPreferably wild, peeled into leaves, cleaned (lightly swished in water and/or brushed as needed if wild/dirty)
3tablespoonsflavorless cooking oil
¼teaspoonkosher saltplus an extra sprinkle
1 teaspoon Chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage dried thyme is an ok substitute, but not rosemary as it will burn
6-7cracks of the pepper millor to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with a knife
Instructions
Toss the pieces of hen of the woods (press them between paper towels to weep water if you had to rinse them first) with all ingredients.If you have cultivated hen of the woods, do this very gently as most are quite fragile.
Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon mat, and bake in a preheated 425 oven for 25-35 minutes (rotating 180 degrees half way through if your oven heats unevenly) until the mushrooms are crisp around the edges, but still slightly tender in the center.
Cultivated mushrooms may take a bit longer as they typically contain more water. Wild hens, especially those picked in a dry spell, will cook quicker.
Remove the mushrooms and allow to cool on the baking sheet until you can handle them, then eat.