Notes on Mushrooms + Wild Mushroom & Fennel Flatbread Recipe
#80: Winter Happenings @ Featherstone Garden
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Notes on Mushrooms: How to wash, consume & appreciate
Since launching our Mushroom Subscription last week (in collaboration with The Mushroom Hub), we’ve gotten a few requests for sharing some mushroom how-to’s. So today, we’re outlining the mushroom basics: How-to wash, consume (via recipes) & appreciate them!
How-to Wash
Here’s the right way of how to clean mushrooms: and it takes no time at all! There’s a best case method, and a cheater method in case you’re feeling lazy:
Bowl method: Fill a large bowl with water. Add the mushrooms and toss them in the water for a minute or so until the dirty mostly settles to the bottom. Remove from the bowl and pat dry.
Strainer method: Or for a cheater’s method, you can simply place the mushrooms in a colander and spray them with water until the dirt washes away. Then pat the mushrooms dry.
For both methods, make sure not to soak the mushrooms: remember, shower not bath. You’ll want to get the mushrooms out of the water as soon as you can.
(Source: A Couple Cooks)
How-to Consume
Throughout the duration of our subscription cycle, we thought it would be fun to share some of our own mushroom-forward recipes and/or a couple recipe recommendations we found lurking around the internet that tantalized our tastebuds. Lucky for you, dear reader, we have both this week. :)
Mushroom-forward Recipe Recs:
Ginger Peanut Noodles with Crispy Mushrooms via Kosmic Cooking Club
Savory Mushroom Bread Pudding via Food52
How-to Appreciate
The key to appreciating anything is to get curious and learn more about it. One podcast that sticks out to me when I’m interested in learning about a (typically) obscure subject matter is the Ologies podcast with Alie Ward. The gist of her podcast (via Spotify): “Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists' obsessions.”
While doing some light research for this newsletter, I came across a past episode where she discusses the magnificence of mushrooms (Mycology) with Dr. Tom Volk, a world-renownd mushroom expert. Give the full episode a listen here:
Wild Mushroom & Fennel Flatbread w/ Fresh Oregano
By Renee S.
To keep this week’s recipe on the simple side, I might suggest purchasing pastry dough from your local grocery store. Of course a homemade puff pastry dough is my preferred method because (if done correctly) the taste and texture will exceed any store bought dough. For those of you who you have the time and patience for baking, I’m recommending a couple of links below for a homemade recipe:
Claire Saffitz makes puff pastry dough via YouTube (I followed this one)
Recipe: Wild Mushroom & Fennel Flatbread w/ Oregano
Yields: 3-4 individual sized flatbreads
Ingredients:
10-12 oz wild mushrooms (preferably wild, but any mushroom assortment will do)
1 fennel bulb
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish (or other choice of herb)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2-1 teaspoon course salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
Step 1
Place a tinfoil lined baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 425°F. (The reason for this step is to ensure your pan heats up evenly, and you’ll achieve crispier veggies because they start to cook as soon as you place them down.)
To cut the fennel: chop off the fennel fronds (set aside/store in fridge) and the dried root at the end of the bulb. Cut bulb in half, then slice thinly, widthwise (here’s a helpful video). Chop your mushrooms and garlic. Place chopped fennel & mushrooms into a bowl and toss with olive oil, balsamic, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.
Step 2
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place your mushroom-fennel mixture on the baking sheet; try to avoid overcrowding the pan. Bake for 18-25 minutes. Once veggies are lightly browned (they’ll bake once again during step 3!), remove from oven and allow to cool down while rolling out your pastry dough. Taste, add more salt & pepper if need be.
Step 3
Increase the oven to 450°F. Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, then distribute the mushroom-fennel mix evenly on top of the flatbread. Slightly pinch up the edges of the dough to contain the mushroom/fennel mixture. Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool down for a few minutes before serving.
To Serve
Add a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic to individual flatbreads, scatter fresh oregano and (optional) fennel fronds on top, (or any fresh herbs you have on hand will do).
Enjoy!
ICYMI
If you didn’t get the chance to signup for our 6-week Microgreens & Mushrooms Subscription, we’re still accepting new customers on a rolling basis throughout the duration of our subscription cycle.
Click below to signup for the remaining 4 weeks of our Microgreens/Mushroom Duo Subscription ($18/week), or individual Microgreens or Mushroom Subscriptions ($10/week).
Thanks for reading!
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Have a great week,
Annie, Aaron, Renee + Chili & Bean (our farm cats ₍˄·͈༝·͈˄₎◞ ₍˄·͈༝·͈˄₎◞)
Sounds amazing :D