don’t care for mushrooms probably because of their texture.

Marinated mushrooms

Try this recipe for an excellent marinated mushroom. It is simple, easy, gives firm crispy

mushrooms with good herb flavor and just the right balance of oil and vinegar. However, this has a

short shelflife. In fact, I don't suggest you put them on your shelf at all. They will still be good about

a day after you made them, but that approaches the upper limit. They become mushy and darken

after the second day.

Ingredients

pound (450 g) small button mushrooms, quickly washed in a bowl of water, drained

cup Italian herb dressing (preferably your own)

cup red pepper or pimento in thin slivers or tiny squares

Procedure

. Combine mushrooms and dressing (which serves as a marinade in this case) in a stainless

steel, glass or ceramic bowl or in a large jar with a tight cap about 4 to 6 hours before serving time.

Mix thoroughly so mushrooms are well coated.

2. Let mushrooms marinate at room temperature mixing them every hour or two to recoat

surfaces with fresh liquid.

3. Drain marinade, mix mushrooms and red pepper or pimento and arrange them neatly with

all caps facing up in a serving bowl.

Serves 15 to 25 guests as hors d'oeuvres or 8 to 10 as extra item on your dinner table.

In Oriental cooking, their texture and ability to absorb other flavors from the liquid are more

crucial. Japanese cuisine in particular adore mushrooms for both flavor and texture. That is why the

cultivation of so many flavorful mushrooms originated in Japan.

Mushrooms add a chewiness that is pleasing even if the flavoring effect is modest using

milder mushrooms. In fact, some of the dried Chinese mushrooms match tofu in blandness, but

cooks use them extensively for texture, color and to absorb the flavor of the sauces.

The mushroom's very pretty, appealing shape in food presentation has made it even more

trendy among contemporary cooks and chefs, particularly in white tablecloth restaurants.

What to choose in cooking

So what type of mushrooms should you use in your cooking? If you have an unlimited

kitchen budget, use fresh black truffles ($1300 a pound or $3000 a kilo) and morels from France.

They will be a sure hit among your guests, particularly if you can weave their cost into the dinner

conversation. But most of us work with a more limited kitchen budget in which the other end of the

spectrum is the more likely scenario, even considering to rescue the mushrooms on the "reduced-

for-quick-sale" shelf of the supermarket.

For most everyday cooking, fresh button mushrooms are perfectly adequate. When you

want to splurge a little, one of the more common exotic types is a nice addition to your menu.

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