Background:
In 1986, a friend introduced me to a new kind of food: mushrooms that grow on trees. They thrived in a city park. Nearly half a century ago, mushrooms weren’t a common food in southern Ukraine, where I lived.
It was late autumn, and we were gathering oyster mushrooms and winter mushrooms, also known as velvet foot, wild enoki, or flammulina. It took a lot of convincing for me to try these fried mushrooms, but once I did, I was hooked!
He prepared them in a variety of ways—fried, marinated, and stewed in sour cream—and every dish was delicious.
Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for clusters of mushrooms on tree trunks. Until that discovery, I had assumed that all mushrooms were either tasteless or somewhat dangerous to eat.
At that time, the only oyster mushroom dish I knew was a simple sour cream sauce with sautéed oyster mushrooms, which became a staple.
Here is the recipe for this dish.
With winter mushrooms, I initially just fried them and ate them plain. Later, I started using them in mushroom soups.
After some years, mushrooms seemed to disappear from the trees in Kherson.
I’m not sure if it was due to climate change or environmental shifts, but I didn't see them again until 2019.
The first mushrooms I found after that long break were growing right in the center of my city on the main avenue, not in a park. They are in the photo.
Note: Avoid picking mushrooms near roads or landfills, as they can absorb harmful pollutants. If mushrooms you collect in the forest are dusty, give them a quick rinse in cold water without soaking, which can make them bland. I also advise against foraging oyster mushrooms near agricultural fields, as there may be residual chemicals. If you’re confident the area is safe, though, enjoy your foraging!
Personally, I prefer to buy cultivated mushrooms.
I’m not a fan of wandering through forests, unsure if I’ll find any, and questioning whether the ones I do find are safe to eat.
I know how to grow oyster mushrooms indoors, but I’m not familiar with all the wild varieties that may look similar but differ slightly.
My recipes will show you that oyster mushrooms cook quickly. A light fry, stew, or brief boiling is all they need—just five minutes, and they’re done! This minimal cooking time helps retain the beneficial nutrients they offer.
You don’t even need to wash them; simply wipe them with a paper towel, and they’re ready to go.
Yes, the stems of oyster mushrooms are also edible, just like their gills.
However, stems can be a bit tougher than caps, so if you want softer mushroom pieces, try slicing the stems thinly and frying them separately for 2-3 minutes before adding the caps.
Certain oyster mushroom varieties, such as strain NK-35, have especially tough stems, so it’s often best to cut off the lower part.
The part of the cluster shown in the photo is the base where all the mushrooms join together into a dense white mass. This part is usually stringy and tough, so I typically trim it off.
In some countries (mine included), oyster mushrooms are sold in clusters with part of the base cut to remove any substrate remnants.
In other places, you might only find caps and the tops of stems for sale. I was surprised to learn that in some regions, oyster mushrooms are sold in full clusters—even with the straw from the substrate still attached!
If the base mass is firm, pure white (without any yellowing or spots), has a pleasant smell, and isn’t soft or spongy, you can eat it.
Chop it into small cubes, fry in vegetable oil for 4-5 minutes, then blend it in a food processor for use in various dishes.
Learn more about minced mushrooms here.
If the fried cubes are soft, they can go straight into soups or other dishes, unchopped.
Alternatively, freeze the fried cubes for later; when needed, just reheat them in a skillet and chop as desired.
