Roasted Flat Mushrooms with Green Onion, Thyme & Butter

1. Mushrooms – Use any type of large mushrooms. If they are much smaller than specified, use more. The idea here is just to use large mushrooms big enough to hold the butter!

How to clean mushrooms – Clean mushrooms by removing dirt using a cloth or paper towel. If you’re going all out or need to get into the cracks and crevices, use a pastry brush! Though these days, grocery store mushrooms are sold pretty clean.

It’s best not to wash with water because mushrooms are extremely porous and so if they absorb water, it can make them slimy or mushy.

Should I remove mushroom gills? Mushroom gills are totally edible and I never remove them, unless I’m making specific types of stuffed mushrooms where I want to make room for more filling. Some people say they don’t like the flavour of the gills (eg dusty flavour), I’ve never experienced that.

However, if you don’t like the gills, just remove them using a spoon. Cradle mushroom in one hand, gently work the tip of a spoon under the gills and scoop around – it will come off with little effort.

The stem – If your mushroom has a very long stem, trim it so it’s the height of the edge of the mushroom, or snap it off (with fresh mushrooms, the stem will break off neatly).

How to store mushrooms – Always store mushrooms in a breathable bag, such as a brown paper bag or wrapped in a tea towel. If you use plastic bags or containers, the mushrooms will sweat, the surface will go slimy and the shelf life of the mushrooms will be considerably shorter.