Portabello mushrooms are earthy and meaty, and unlike most mushrooms, they barely shrink from cooking! Here is a quick guide on how to trim them so they will be ready for your next recipe.
Step 1: Wash
Brush off any clumps of dirt and give them a rinse. I have always rinsed my mushrooms and have never noticed any loss in flavour. After all, mushrooms are mostly water - how much more water could you possible add?! If you don't trust me, Gourmet magazine and Cooks Illustrated have both done some tests in the past and proved water absorption is negligible. So there. Wash away!
Step 2: Remove Stem
Next, remove the stem. It should snap right off. The stem can be quite tough to eat, but it can be reserved for vegetable stock, or just discarded.
Step 3: Trim away gills
Using a paring or dinner knife, hold the knife sideways and gently cut away the dark brown gills and the curled outer edges of the mushroom. Be careful not to cut in too deep, just to the depth of the gills. Although the gills are technically safe to eat, they can hold dirt and can discolour your dish to a very dark brown or grey colour (not very appetizing!).
That's it! 3 easy steps and the mushrooms are all prepped. I like to grill them, or slice and bread them for mushroom "fries". What are you favourite recipes for portabello mushrooms?
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