I could eat mushrooms every day. And when I plan my grocery shopping just right, I do. This affection is, at times, controversial; many people hate mushrooms, eagerly attributing their distaste to the fungusβs taste and texture. Iβd argue itβs almost always a case of misplaced blame: Why beef with the mushroom when it was the cooking method that did you dirty?Β
Sure, if you donβt cook enough water out of mushrooms, you will get something thatβs a little waterlogged (after all, mushrooms are between 85β95% water)βbut when I make mushrooms, theyβre dense (what some might call βmeatyβ) but with some textural variation. The firm mushroom flesh is paired with golden brown crust and frizzled crispy edges. And the way to my ideal βshrooms is simple: Squish them! I learned this technique from the Sarno brothers, the mushroom savants behind Wicked Healthy, who use it to turn big chunks of mushrooms into beautifully charred steaks that can be seasoned and sauced in any number of ways. My mostly meat-free life has been better ever since.
To do it youβll need mushroomsβI generally go for oyster mushrooms, maitakes, or lionβs mane, since these come in large chunks with frilly edges and nooks and crannies thatβll cook into fun to eat texturesβand two pans that nestle inside each other and are ideally cast iron, which are heavy and retain heat well. I generally use one 10β³ and one 12β³ pan.
To start, heat up the larger pan and add just enough neutral oil to coat the surface. When itβs hot, add the mushrooms either as one big chunk or torn into a few smaller pieces. As soon as you hear the mushrooms start to sizzle and sear, put the second pan on top (I sometimes add a protective layer of foil on the bottom of the smaller pan) and let the weight of the cast iron do the work.
