Many cooks appreciate dried mushrooms for a long shelf life, bold taste and usefulness in a wide variety of recipes. To use them in your favorite dishes, you first need to rinse them thoroughly and soak them in a bowl of water to restore their original size and texture. Then you can use them just like fresh ones, adding them to soups, fries, sauces, casseroles or any other dishes. How to cook dry mushrooms until cooked?
Where to buy them and how to choose?
In most supermarkets you can find dried mushrooms in the product section. There are many different species to choose from, including shiitake and porcini mushrooms. Each variety has its own distinctive taste characteristics, and they are used in different recipes.
If you don't see dried mushrooms in the vegetable department, check out the racks for spices. This product is sometimes classified as flavoring rather than vegetable.
Shiitake, matsutake and other woody species are commonly used in Asian soups and sauces, while porcini mushrooms and chanterelles are important ingredients in savory European-style stews and gravy. The variety you choose usually depends on how much to cook dry mushrooms for a particular dish.
Rehydration of dried mushrooms
Take the exact number of mushrooms you plan to cook and place them in a colander or strainer. Place them under a stream of cool water, tossing them every few seconds to wash away any residual dirt that has come to the surface.
Most recipes that require the addition of dried mushrooms indicate dry quantities, which makes it easy to measure. Determining the weight of the product after soaking in advance is very difficult.
Place freshly washed mushrooms on the bottom of a deep bowl. Make sure they are centered near the center of the tank so that they have enough room for expansion as they absorb moisture.
Fill a bowl with enough water to completely immerse dried mushrooms in it. Some cooks prefer to use hot water, as they believe that this helps the product quickly restore its original size and texture. However, warm room temperature water will usually be the best choice.
There is a possibility that the hot liquid may wash the aroma from the mushrooms. For this reason, they are best used for recipes that require broth. Using hot water is justified when you are in a hurry and you don’t have time to soak for a long time. How much to cook dry mushrooms after soaking - depends on their type and on the dish that you intend to cook.
How much time to soak?
The exact soaking time depends on the type of mushroom you are dealing with. Large or dense varieties, such as shiitake or white, may take a couple of full hours to get wet, while most other species will be ready to cook in just 40-50 minutes. As the mushrooms absorb water, they gradually begin to acquire a soft, fleshy texture. Watch them and take them out of the water when they stop swelling. If you let them get wet for too long, they can become soft and begin to lose some of their flavor.
After the dried mushrooms are properly moistened, pour the remaining liquid into a separate container. It can be used to add extra spicy notes to soups, stews, sauces and other dishes. If necessary, you can strain this liquid through a coffee filter or a piece of gauze to separate any remaining sand. If you do not plan to use the mushroom broth immediately, close the container and place it in the freezer, where it will be stored indefinitely, until you are ready to pull it out.
How to cook them?
How long do dry mushrooms cook? After pre-soaking, this time will average thirty minutes. If we are talking about champignons, only 5 minutes from the moment of boiling will be sufficient.
In principle, you can determine the readiness of the product without measuring the cooking time. To do this, you need to raise the pan, in which the mushrooms are boiled, taking it by both handles. If some mushrooms still remain on the surface of the liquid, they are still raw. The finished product always sinks to the bottom of the pan.
How long does it take to cook dry mushrooms without soaking? If you do not previously place them in a liquid for a certain time, you will have to boil for a very long time. Depending on the variety of mushrooms, this can take up to eight hours.
Are there any differences for porcini mushrooms?
How to cook dried porcini mushrooms? This variety is not in vain called "royal." The taste and smell of these mushrooms is unique. Almost any dish can be prepared from them, from soup to complex sauces. The broth from them is obtained as rich and satisfying as from a piece of meat on the bone. At the same time, cooking them is much easier than other types.
How long should dry porcini mushrooms be boiled? In order to then fry or stew them, boiling will take only 15 minutes. To make the soup, you need a little more time - 20-30 minutes. Do not cook them longer, otherwise the aroma will begin to evaporate.
How to prepare liquid dishes from them?
When preparing liquid-based dishes (soups, stews), you can use mushrooms or add a little liquid from soaking them to improve the taste of the dish. The fluid in which this product swells will be very concentrated, so be careful not to overdo it.
Dried mushrooms can form the basis for many dishes, such as all kinds of stews, minestrone and goulash, as well as Japanese soups (miso and ramen).
How to cook dry mushrooms for soup? To do this, you will need the same 20-30 minutes as for cooking other dishes. Also note that when soaked, the dried product increases greatly in size and weight. For example, if you need to add 300 grams of fresh mushrooms to a dish with a prescription, in dried form you need only about 50 grams.
How to use them in sauces?
This is a good way to use dried mushrooms without first soaking. Crush them into small pieces or grind into powder and add to the sauce or gravy during cooking. Porcini mushrooms with a unique aroma are especially good in this application.
The addition of this product is ideally suited to complement hot creamy tomato and delicate sauces, as well as thick gravy. How much to cook dry mushrooms in this case? 20-30 minutes will be enough, despite the lack of soaking, as they are pre-crushed.
Where can I add soaked and boiled dried mushrooms?
You can mix cooked mushrooms with rice, meat, vegetables and spicy sauce for easy cooking in a pan. In addition, you can cut them into slices or thin slices, then add to a preheated pan and make scrambled eggs or scrambled eggs with them. Tender chanterelles are especially good for this purpose. Mix them with different vegetables, such as onions, spinach, tomatoes and bell peppers.