Reconstituting Mushrooms

[blaze]

So I bought some dried Oyster Mushrooms ('cause that's all I could find) to go in this recipe:

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001981765

Do I need to soak them before I put this all together? If so, how long?

Or will they absorb enough water through the course of cooking?

Thanks for any tips!

[Denninmi]

1. I think I would rehydrate them first.

They can take a while sometimes. I would pour boiling water over them, and then let them stand for about an hour before putting them in the recipe.

I think if you just added them dry, you would run the risk of having little, leathery mushroom bits in the risotto.

[blaze]

2. Thanks!

:hi:

I'll have plenty of time, 'cause I'm gonna make that chicken stock first.


I love a day of simmering and stirring stuff in the kitchen!!! :)

[Warpy]

3. Dried mushrooms will suck up water before the rice has a chance to

so boil a little water and reconstitute those puppies. It only takes 15-20 minutes sitting in hot water for Shiitake mushrooms; it should take less for yours. You then add the soaking water, minus any grit on the bottom, to your risotto to get every bit of flavor.

[blaze]

5. Great tip to save the water!

Thanks! :hi:

Stock is simmering now! :)

[MrMickeysMom]

12. I've tried this rule with some big Shiitake shrooms, Warpy...

I have a heck of a time getting the center soft enough. Maybe it's cause they're so damned big.

Would a pressure cooker be the way to really soften them up?

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Warpy's right. Soak them and save the liquid to add a lot to the flavor of your dish

Porcini mushrooms (also known as cepes) are at the top of the flavor ladder, but most will add some flavor to the soaking water.

Use just enough boiling water to cover the mushrooms. Allow them to soak 15 to 20 minutes. In the case of porcinis, the flavored water is the bigger prize than the mushrooms, I think (and the mushrooms are delicious!).

[blaze]

6. Thanks Stinky!

House is smelling pretty good right now! :)

[Warpy]

7. One of my favorite Chinese veggie dishes

uses shiitakes, pea pods, aromatics, soy sauce, a splash of wine, and that's it. The soaking water is essential to the dish, mixed with cornstarch and added at the end to make a light sauce.

People swear there's meat in it from the hearty wild mushroom flavor.

Never, ever throw the soaking water out. It's pure gold.

[blaze]

8. One of the reviewers of the recipe said

"My husband loved how "meaty" the dish tasted, even though it really only uses a few slices of bacon."

Like her, I had no idea that meaty taste comes from the mushrooms!!

I love this forum!! :D

[blaze]

9. What about the Olive oil?

The recipe calls for crisping up the bacon and leaving the drippings in the dutch oven.... and then adding a Tablespoon of olive oil.

Is this gonna make it too greasy? One reviewer used just a portion of the drippings and used no olive oil at all. Is there gonna be a significant difference in taste by leaving out the olive oil?

[Warpy]

10. Look at the amount of fat you've got

It's going to take quite a bit to saute the garlic, shallots, and herbs, plus coat all the rice when you add that to saute it. You can always add the olive oil later on if there's not enough fat to coat the rice thoroughly.

[blaze]

11. Thanks Warpy!

I didn't know the rice needed to be coated with oil, so that's a great way for me to be able to judge it.

Thanks!!

Now everything is chopped up and measured and ready to go!! :)