Produce Briefs...
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Iceberg Lettuce
It is the only lettuce type that does not occur in red form as well as green. Iceberg is the given name to dozens of cultivars of lettuce, all of which are adapted to specific planting regions and time periods.
Seasons/Availability
Dried shiitake mushrooms are typically available year round.
Current Facts
Shiitake mushrooms are one of the handful of mushrooms that can be cultivated on a commercial scale. They are cultivated using trees or wood as a growing medium. Both natural log and sawdust log cultivation are used in small and large scale productions. Natural log cultivation is the oldest method and imitates nature closely. The logs are 100% recyclable; once the logs are exhausted of nutritional benefits, they can be used for composting or as a natural fertilizer. The shiitake mushroom is also known as Chinese black mushroom, Japanese black mushroom and golden oak mushroom.
Description/Taste
The dried shiitake mushroom is proof that the aging process can improve a food's flavor. The color of the shiitake's cap deepens to a near black, a precursor to the flavor profile. Its aromatics are reminiscent of garlic and pine and it imparts a rich, smoky, umami flavor.
Nutritional Value
In addition to their culinary uses, shiitake mushrooms have long been used for medicinal purposes in both raw and dried form. They are rich in vitamins and minerals with potently high levels of vitamin B2, B12 and vitamin D.
Applications
Dried shiitakes are often preferred to fresh shiitakes as their flavor becomes even more robust and rich and their aroma gains a perfumed fermented quality. Never use the stems from dried shiitakes as they will always remain woody, no matter how long they are soaked and cooked. Save the soaking liquid for stocks and sauces as it yields the same intensity that the shiitake has in flavor and aroma. Once reconstituted, they may be sauteed, roasted or skewered and grilled; pair with Asian mustard greens, eggplant, rice, noodles, garlic, soy and chile,
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Japanese cuisine, reconstituted shiitake mushrooms are served in miso soup, used as the basis for a kind of vegetarian dashi, and also as an ingredient in many steamed and simmered dishes.
Geography/History
Shiitake mushrooms were first cultivated in China over two thousand years ago and since has been naturalized and cultivated throughout the world. Shiitakes cultivated in warm weather produce the highest quality mushrooms per pound of total yield during the hot summer months. When shiitake aren't in peak season, dried shiitakes make them readily available year round.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| La Costa Glen South | Carlsbad CA | FRONT: 760-704-1000 |
| Nine - Ten | San Diego CA | 858-964-5400 |
| Inn at the Park | San Diego CA | 619-296-0057 |
| Bishop School | San Diego CA | 858-459-4021 x212 |
| Roseville Cozinha | San Diego CA | 619-794-2192 |
| Decker Brothers Gourmet | San Diego CA | 858-461-3674 |
| Wine Vault & Bistro | San Diego CA | 619-295-3939 |
| The Lion Share | San Diego CA | 619-564-6924 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Dried Shiitake Mushrooms. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Maangchi |
|
Stir Fried Noodles with Vegetables |
| 虎妈尚菜 |
|
压鸭香菇芋头 |
| An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
|
Mushroom Pate with Crudites |
| Delicious Asian Food |
|
Japanese Tofu with Braised Wood Ear Mushrooms |
Recently Spotted
Someone spotted Dried Shiitake Mushrooms using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
|
morrisons Near Dudley, United Kingdom About 44 days ago |
