Each week, Chef Michael Reining of The Radio Kitchen will answer your questions about cooking. This Week: Washing Mushrooms
Here's this weeks question:
How do you wash mushrooms? I'm always worried they'll absorb too much water.
Chris, Pleasanton, CA
Chef Mike replies:
Thanks, Chris!
Ok ok ok, there is soooo much written about, taught and kibitzed about as far as washing mushrooms.
And it all comes down to -- water. Do you wash them in water? And the answer is -- YES!
Cook's Illustrated magazine did a little test (March/April 2000), and they found that if you washed and drained mushrooms in a colander, they soak up no more water than the same amount of brocoli in a similar wash and rinse in a colander.
Oh sure, a brush might take off some of the grit. And everyone worries that, "oh these mushrooms are like sponges, they'll soak up water." Look, I'd rather have a moister mushroom than grit in my mouth!
The key to washing mushrooms is do it just before you cook them. Don't let them sit in water. So here, don't bathe your mushrooms, give 'em a shower! Put your mushrooms in a colander and turn on your sprayer attachment on your faucet and gently wash them. Shake the colander getting most of the excess water out, and pour the mushrooms out onto paper towels and give em a pat. Mushroom expert Amy Farges (author of "The Mushrooms Lover's Mushroom Cookbook" and co-owner of Aux Delices des Bois) even recommends spinning them in a salad spinner to remove the excess water.
But again, go straight to the hot pan after washing. Go on, turn on the water, wash those mushrooms!
