Jewels of the mist

By Cynthia Daly

Before me is a plate of freshly cooked exotic mushrooms, stir-fried pork and rice. The aroma of garlic lingers on the air with an added sweetness from the mushrooms…. And now to my first taste of these freshly cooked shiitake, golden needle (enoki) and oyster mushrooms. ‘Lightly garlicy, tender yet meaty, delicate on the tongue yet so exquisite that I am lost for superlatives.’ The tragedy is – I may never get this experience again unless the production of such wonderful fungi expands in New Zealand.

My taste experience began at Mushroom R & D (NZ) Ltd in Wiri, Auckland where my host Nancy Summerhays, is administration manager for the company.

I must admit my preconceived idea of what to expect turns out to be incredibly naive. At Mushroom R&D you won’t find long open benches covered with sprouting mushrooms but you will find natural medicines derived of traditional Chinese techniques and backed by the very latest in biochemistry research, that uses enzymes from the mushrooms to heal and nurture – another aspect of the company created by founder, Professor Yihuai Gao.

Professor Gao, an internationally renowned mycologist and dietician was invited to New Zealand in early 1990s by Landcare NZ to research fungi growth. In China, Professor Gao had been study mushroom for many years and had been carrying out extensive research into their health benefits.

“In the lab at Landcare Mt Albert, he started small scale mushroom growing. Later he bought a New Zealand mushroom company then eventually relocated it, in 2004, to his purpose-built facilities at Wiri.

“We had the facility purposely built to grow mushrooms with temperature control, water-spray control and air conditioning to provide fresh air for the mushrooms to grow.”

Today Mushroom R&D produces tonnes of exotic mushrooms each year in New Zealand. “We only sell to New Zealand because we don’t have enough to export,” says Nancy. The mushrooms are sold under the brand Forest Gold through produce wholesalers such as Fresh Connection, to high end restaurants and cafes, also to an increasing number of supermarkets as well as some Asian outlays. “Some wholesalers even export them to areas of the Pacific, to Fiji,” says Nancy.

Demand for these ‘jewels of the mist’ is high. In fact, says Nancy Mushroom R&D sells everything it produces. However, she says, high production costs, especially for power, labour and equipment, currently limit any plans for expansion. “We’re dealing with a high pressure vessel, we have to sterilise everything to make it clean and free of bacteria and this process is expensive.”

Growing exotic mushrooms requires absolute precession, a slight change in temperature could destroy thousands of dollars worth of stock, and due to the delicate nature of the mushrooms, the operation is very labour-intensive. Every step of the growing cycle is expertly handled while climatic conditions are computer-controlled.

The life-cycle begins with spore harvest. Sterilised food-grade approved organic matter (wheat husks, cotton seed, sawdust etc) is used to nurture the spores. Then the developing mushrooms are placed in mist-filled growing rooms. Each room is controlled to the specific requirements of the individual fungi. For example, enoki will rot if the temperature alters even slightly. It takes approximately a month to complete the cycle and harvest the mushrooms once they are moved to growing rooms. The mushrooms can be used straight away after being picked.

“Our mushrooms can be eaten raw because they are very clean and the growing base is sterilised. Mushroom R & D (NZ) Ltd is GAP (Good Agriculture Practice) certified,” says Nancy.

Interestingly, Nancy explains, honeycomb is often served as a dessert. It is thinly sliced and cooked with the fruit in syrup of honey or sugar and water. “It goes very well with pears or apricots and it is delicious. It also has healing properties. In China it is given to children with breathing problems like asthma.”

This brings us to cooking exotic mushrooms. Under Nancy’s advice I pan-fried mine in a knob of butter with a crushed clove of garlic over a medium heat until wilted and just cooked. Oyster, wood ear, enoki and shiitake go well with pork and chicken either steamed, pan-fried or added to a chicken stew. They are work well together as a mushroom medley served on toast. Try the honeycomb with fruit as a point of difference and use the enoki as a garnish on Asian style dishes.

Below is a list by Mushroom R & D (NZ) Ltd of recommended uses.

Phoenix Tail (Oyster) Mushrooms

General

The Pleurotus mushroom is the second most commonly cultivated mushroom in the world after the button mushroom, widely used in Asia and Europe. It grows naturally in New Zealand found most commonly on the decaying wood of the Cabbage tree. The Forest Gold strain is of Asian origin and derives its name from its floral and often curled shape likening it to the Chinese mythical Phoenix’s tail.

Cooking

This mushroom’s shape and flavour make it attractive to serve both raw (small ones whole in salads with a dip, large ones as a garnish) or lightly cooked (whole or torn in strips) in many types of dishes. Its flavour is subtle and it does NOT discolour with its juices.

Uses include:

· raw - in salads, with a cheese platter or dip, or as a garnish

· sautéed - with onions, white wine, cream and freshly chopped basil

- with a medley of other exotic mushrooms

· pan fried or barbecue - seasoned with freshly ground pepper and salt

- served as a side dish or as a bed for fish or with red meats

· casseroled with all types of red meat, poultry and offals

· in terrines or pates

· stir-fry with other fresh vegetables

· in soups - in light consommes or in a creamy exotic mushroom broth.

Shiitake Mushroom

General

The Shiitake mushroom is a traditional delicacy of Japan, Korea and China and has been cultivated for at least a thousand years. Shiitake is well known for its numerous medicinal benefits within these cultures. In recent times it has been the subject of a number clinical tests for cancer treatment, and is approved as an anti-cancer drug in Japan. There is also evidence that this mushroom can lower blood pressure, improve asthma, and strengthen the immune system.

The Shiitake has a traditional mushroom shape usually with a dark brown cap and often with small speckles around the rim. It has a fresh earthy flavour and aroma and is wildly used in Asian cooking for its flavour and texture. When cooked it retains its shape and has a smooth texture and does not discolour. It is often sliced or quartered like button mushrooms and is used with all meat types and vegetables.

Cooking

This mushroom lends itself to all styles of cooking where flavour infusion takes place:

· casseroles, sautés, soups, sauces

· terrines, pates

· tartlets, quiches, omelettes

· pan-fry, barbecue

· raw in salads

· stir-fry

· risotto and Italian pasta sauces.

Wood Ear Mushroom

General

This mushroom grows naturally in New Zealand. At the turn of the last century wood ear was one of this country’s key export earners being harvested from the trees felled in the Taranaki area, dried and shipped to China.

Characteristics

The wood ear mushroom has a brown velvety / leathery texture similar to sea kelp and grows in ear shapes. It has little flavour but is widely used by the Asians for its texture and visual qualities.

Cooking

It is usually cut into thin strips and lightly cooked in soups, stir-fries, sauces and casseroles. Its shape makes it a distinct addition to an exotic mushroom medley, stir-fry, soup or to any dish where colour, shape and texture are important. Ideally this mushroom is best cooked to slightly soften its texture, however even cooked for a long period it does not become soggy and retains a very pleasant al dente bite.

Honeycomb Mushroom

General

The Honeycomb mushroom has been widely cultivated and eaten in Asia for centuries for its medicinal and culinary benefits. Although this mushroom is one of the more unfamiliar varieties of exotics it is one of the most interesting in its uses.

Characteristics

This unusual looking fungus resembles a cream coloured frilly sea sponge in appearance with a gelatinous texture and distinct but subtle honey aroma and flavour. This mushroom dries and rehydrates perfectly.

Cooking

The honey comb mushroom is frequently prepared and consumed as a tonic in Asian cultures. It is lightly simmered in a sugar solution and taken twice a day. Also it is popular served as a desert.

Cut away from its central core and roughly chopped with a knife this mushroom retains a wonderful curly shape that holds throughout cooking. It can be simmered in soups for a long period of time but does not lose its al dente texture, unlike pasta, noodles or rice. It is most commonly used in soups for its texture but can also be used in any liquid based dish such as casseroles stews and sauces. Conversely this mushroom is extremely pleasant served raw or gently steamed or stir-fried with simply a little sesame oil. It must be very lightly cooked for best results.

Golden Needle Mushroom

General

The needle mushroom or Enokitake is a speciality of Japan, widely used throughout Asia and is now available in most other Western countries. This delicate mushroom is recognised by its long stalk and tiny umbrella shaped cap. The Golden needle has a slightly larger and more open cap than the white needle and its stalk is brown as opposed to white. They both have a slightly velvety texture but the delicate yet distinctive flavour of the golden needle is more prominent than the white.

Cooking

This mushroom is extremely versatile often served raw in salads or as a garnish. It adds great texture, colour and flavour to a sautéed mushroom medley, sauce or any dish with a liquid base. As with all mushrooms do not wash, use when fresh and cook very lightly for best results.

Recipes

Grilled shiitake meatballs

• 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 200gm lean meat (pork or beef mince)
• ½ tsp mushroom powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp red wine
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp olive oil

Cross cut on the shiitake mushroom surface and cut off mushroom stalk.

Combine mince, mushroom stock powder, salt, olive oil, and red wine.

Stuff the combined mince mixture into the cap of the mushroom and press to stabilise it.

Place the stuffed mushrooms into the preheated oven (200˚C), mince at the bottom and mushroom face up.

Cook for 20 minutes.

Season with black pepper before serving.

Golden Needle Mushroom Salad

• 50gm fresh golden needle mushrooms (cut the bottom brown root)
• 1 fresh shiitake mushroom (sliced)
• half carrot (sliced)
• 3 1/2 different colour capsicums, red, yellow and green (sliced)
• 50gm celery (sliced)
• 2 tsp of oil into the heated fry pan

Add sliced capsicums, carrot, shiitake mushrooms, celery and constantly fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add golden needle mushrooms into the fry pan, combine and cook for another 2 minutes.

Put them into a dish and add salt, vinegar, sugar, spicy sauce or any other your favorite sauces to have a better taste.

The "Golden Needle" mushroom helps to increase our immunity to fight allergies, viral infections and cancer. It contains a large quantity of a protein which interacts with the cells in our immune system resulting in production of a number of cytokines that are responsible for the regulation of our immune functions.

For more information on exotic mushrooms and their health benefits go to: www.alpha-group.co.nz