This week veggie box feature… King Oyster Mushroom

 

Did you know?

· The king oyster mushroom is the largest of the oyster mushroom genus

· Unlike other oyster mushrooms, their stalks aren’t tough and woody to eat.

· They're hailed for their meaty texture and umami flavour.

· They have long shelf life in the fridge, roughly one week

· They don’t lose their shape when cooked.

· They can be enjoyed both raw and cooked

 

Often billed as ‘mushroom steaks’ or ‘vegan scallops’ due to their texture. Making them an interesting & delicious option for vegetarians. As you will see below, many of the recipes I’m sharing with you this week are vegetarian/vegan alternatives for many common meals such as “Pulled Pork or Shawarma”.

Let’s see if you and your Family can tell the difference! 😊

 

 

Recipes

 

BBQ Pulled Mushrooms (Best Ever Vegan Pulled Pork!)

Created by: Sarah Bond

By shredding king oyster mushrooms, seasoning with spices, and baking, you can create a vegan mushroom pulled pork that rivals the real stuff! A delicious and easy Meatless Monday dinner idea!

 

Ingredients:

4 king oyster mushrooms

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup BBQ sauce

Instructions:

1. Shred Mushrooms: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Using two forks, shred the stems and caps roughly into pieces. Set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

2 Bake: Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the oil, paprika, salt, cayenne, and garlic. Toss around to evenly coat the mushrooms, then bake for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are a bit crispy and brown on the edges.

3. Sauté: Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a large sauté pan over medium high. Transfer cooked mushrooms to pan and add BBQ sauce. Stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until mixture is thick and fragrant. Serve warm on sandwiches, nachos, salads, tacos… or whenever you eat pulled pork!

 

 

Vegan Scallops (King Oyster Mushroom Scallops)

Created By: Veggie Society

Plump king oyster mushroom stems, flawlessly cooked in vegan butter or olive oil, spices, and herbs create the perfect replacement for scallops. Plenty of flavor, but lax on the effort, makes for one incredibly delicious recipe.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb King Oyster Mushrooms

4 Tbsp vegan butter (or olive oil)

1 tsp olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic grated

1 pinch sweet paprika

1/4 cup Italian parsley chopped

1/2 lemon + extra wedges for serving

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat a seasoned cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Coat it with a thin layer of olive oil if needed.

2. Slice the king oyster mushroom stems into 1-inch thick rounds and pat dry. (Reserve the caps for another recipe or just use them here if you don’t mind the shape).

3.Brush or spray one side of the oyster mushroom rounds with olive oil then season with a pinch of sea salt, black pepper and sweet paprika. Use your hand to spread the spices all over the top.

4. Add the vegan scallops to the hot skillet seasoned side down. You should hear it sizzle nicely when it hits that hot pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes per side until a nice golden brown color is achieved (stay close by, don't overcook).

5. Meanwhile season the other side with salt, pepper and a tiny pinch of paprika. Flip and cook another 2 minutes or so. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

6. Add the vegan butter (or a mix of vegan butter and olive oil) to the skillet you cooked the vegan scallops in. Mix in the grated garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so taking care not to burn it, you just want to tame it down a bit.

7. Squeeze in the lemon and add the parsley then transfer the "vegan scallops” back into the sauce. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve hot over mashed potatoes, Aglio e olio pasta or a slice of bruschetta.

Notes:

1. Regular butter can be used if you aren’t wanting it to be 100% vegan.

2. Storage - Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them by storing them in an airtight container. They should keep for 2-3 months.

3. Reheating - Reheat using a skillet over the stove or the microwave, if need be.

4. Add a seafood flavor - To give your vegan scallops an extra seafood flavor, make sure to crumble some seaweed and sprinkle it over the top before serving.

 

 

Mushroom Shawarma

Created by:

 

 

Ingredients:

480g King Oyster Mushrooms

2 TBSP

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves

2 tsp Paprika

2 tsp Oregano

2 tsp Cumin Seeds

To serve:

1 Red Onion

4 Flatbreads or pita Lettuce

4 TBSP Turkish Chilli Sauce (or your favourite hot sauce)

Instructions:

1. Trim off the caps of the king oyster mushrooms and then use a potato peeler to slice their stems into thin strips.

2. Next, combine the extra virgin olive oil with crushed garlic, paprika, oregano, and cumin seeds. Stir well and then pour a few tablespoons of water to loosen up the marinade.

3. Now, add the mushrooms strips to the seasoning and toss until completely coated.

4. Arrange the mushrooms strips flat onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

5. Roast them in the preheated oven for 12 minutes at 190°C (375°F) for conventional ovens or at 170°C (340°F) for fan ovens.

6. Meanwhile, thinly slice the tomatoes and the onions.

7. Then, heat the flatbread/pita in the oven for a few minutes or until they're soft and warm.

8. Now, divide shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and onions among the flatbreads

9. Top the salad with the grilled mushroom shawarma and spoon the chilli sauce over.

10. Finally, wrap the flatbread around the filling and serve.

 

King Oyster Mushroom “Turkey”

Created by: Wicked

The mighty King oyster has many guises. Here he becomes tender, thick pieces of savory turkey. Serve with potatoes or as an open face sandwich on toast with gravy. Or make a turkey wrap for lunch. However you’re serving your king oyster mushroom “turkey”, we got you covered.

 

Ingredients:

7 large King oyster mushrooms (about 1 1/2 lbs/680 g)

1/2 cup plant-based butter, melted (or regular if you don’t need it to be 100% vegan dish)

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning.

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Pull the caps off the shrooms and tear the caps into a few pieces, dropping them into a bowl. Pull the stems into big, long pieces sort of like long pieces of torn turkey breast.

2. Add the butter and quickly toss to distribute the butter (it’ll get soaked up quick). Season with seasoning, a good pinch of salt and pepper, and the rest of the butter then toss to coat well. Tip the shrooms out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and spread them in a single layer.

3. Bake until the shrooms are steaming and lightly browned here and there, 20 to 25 minutes. They’ll give off a bunch of water. Bake until enough water evaporates that the shrooms start to brown on the tops.

4. Leave on the pan to serve with potatoes, or serve as a “turkey” sandwich with gravy over toast, or serve them however you like. Experiment!

 

 

Spicy King Oyster Mushroom Stir-fry

Created By: Sarah

This spicy king oyster mushroom stir-fry recipe is incredibly tasty and also completely vegan. All you need is 8 ingredients!

 

Ingredients:

1 pound king oyster mushrooms (450g)

5 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)

6 slices ginger

8 cloves garlic (sliced)

1 tablespoon spicy bean sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

5 long hot peppers (red and/or green, de-seeded and sliced diagonally)

Instructions:

1. Cut each oyster mushroom in half lengthwise. Place each mushroom half flat side down, and score with your knife lengthwise. Make the slices deep, without slicing completely through the mushroom. Then make perpendicular cuts across the lengthwise cuts, again making sure not to slice all the way through. Every third cut, slice through the mushroom to create ½ inch pieces.

2. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat. Fry the mushrooms lightly in the oil until golden brown on one side. Flip and fry on the other side until golden. Continue frying until the mushrooms are tender. Remove the mushrooms from the oil.

3. Reduce the heat to medium low. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the ginger, and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir in the spicy bean sauce and cook for another 30 seconds.

4. Add the mushrooms back to the wok, along with the light soy sauce and ½ teaspoon sugar. Add the peppers to the wok and stir-fry everything together for another 2 minutes. Serve!

 

 

Garlic Butter Oyster Mushrooms

Created by: Holly

King mushrooms also make a delicious side dish for your favourite protein!

 

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds oyster mushrooms

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 TBSP butter

1 clove garlic minced

fresh parsley or herbs to taste, chopped

salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Wipe the oyster mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt or debris if needed.

2. Cut oyster mushrooms into individual mushrooms (and cut in half if they are large). Remove about ½ of the bottom stem.

3. Preheat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toss mushrooms with soy sauce and add to the skillet.

4. Stir to gently coat with oil and then allow mushrooms to cook 3-4 minutes without stirring or until browned on one side. Stir and continue cooking until mushrooms are tender.

5. Push the mushrooms to one side and add the butter and garlic to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir into the mushrooms and cook 1 minute more.

6. Season with parsley, salt & pepper to taste.

 

 

Friendly Reminder: Looking for additional inspiration? ALL recipes from the past two years are available on the blog for reference. 😊