Making Friends with Mushrooms

OK – I confess.  I don’t like mushrooms.  I know that’s an odd statement for someone who spends much of her life cooking and developing recipes.  This mushroom issue goes way back for me.  I don’t remember ever eating mushrooms as a kid.  Although my grandmother and mother were good cooks, as Irish women, mushrooms were not on the menu.

I think it’s always been a texture thing with me. When I met Bill, he loved to have mushrooms with steak, so I thought what a good time to get to like them. My mushroom misinformation was confirmed when I figured out what he meant were those Green Giant jarred mushrooms the look, taste and feel like erasers – yuk! So I merrily went along without mushrooms in my life and, although we weren’t arch enemies, we got along just fine not being friends.

Enter 2021 and my focus on eating a more plant-based diet – better for my health and the planet.  Mushrooms were getting harder to avoid, and frankly it seemed like time to put on my big girl pants and give them a try.  So – I dipped my toe in the mushroom pond, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised (OK mostly).  I’ve been focusing on anything but those squeaky white mushrooms and have found that baby bellas, shiitake and cremini are my favorites so far.  I’ve also been putting dried shiitake mushrooms (easily found at my favorite Asian market – United Noodles) in my weekly batch of vegetable broth.  It adds a lovely unami flavor.

This recipe for Stuffed Red Peppers is a terrific way to meet some mushrooms.  It’s got all the things – it’s vegan, rich, savory, perfect to make-ahead and a crowd pleaser – what more could you want?  You can easily add a pound of ground beef, turkey, chicken or plant-based meat to amp up the protein if you like.

I invite you to join me in my mushroom journey and/or chastise me for taking so long.  Please feel free to share your favorite ways to enjoy mushrooms, and I promise to give them a try.