Recipes: Roaring over lion's mane mushrooms

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Hope you are all partying responsibly. This week's recipes are inspired by my discovery of Foggy Dew Fungi, a local company selling at the Farmers Market at the fairgrounds on Thursday nights. I was talking to them and they had a mushroom I was not familiar with, the lion's mane mushroom. It was a big, fuzzy ball and part of the chef's mix I bought. It has been two weeks now, and the playing around with them has been fun. The first time, I used it in a stir fry easy and harmless. Now, the owner, Brendan Linnane, suggests the crab cake recipe. It was amazing, and I have included a recipe here for you. The second recipe is for a lion's mane broccoli soup, and we end with a mushroom stew. You can count on me to be a Fungi, so happy cooking!! Lion's mane mushroom crab cakes Ingredients 8 oz. lion's mane mushroom1 egg (or flax egg)½ to 1 cup panko breadcrumbs as needed1/4 cup onion (finely diced)2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced 2 tbsp mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise1 tsp Worcestershire sauce3/4 tsp old bay seasoning1 tsp Dijon mustard1 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)1/4 tsp salt (to your taste)1/4 tsp black pepper3-4 tbsp coconut oil (to fry cakes)2 optimal garnish: lemon wedges Quick tartar sauce 1/4 cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise1 tbsp dill pickle relish1 Tbsp capers, crushed1/4 tsp old bay seasoning Instructions 1. Hand shred lion's mane mushroom into small pieces resembling texture of flakey crab. 2. In large bowl, combine egg, mayonnaise, onion, Worcestershire sauce, old bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, parsley (finely chopped), salt and pepper. Mix until fully incorporated. 3. Mix in lion's mane mushroom until fully incorporated. 4. Mix in panko breadcrumbs until fully incorporated. 5. Form mixture into 3-4 equal size round flat patties (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick). 6. Heat oil in sauté pan on medium/high heat. 7. Cook patties for 2-3 minutes per side. Should be golden brown and cooked throughout. 8. Add optional garnish, squeeze of lemon and enjoy Lion's mane mushroom broccoli and potato soup Ingredients · 5-6 cups fresh chopped mushrooms · 1.5 cups white or yellow onions, diced · 4 medium-size potatoes, chopped (~4 cups when chopped) · 7 cups chopped broccoli · 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 4 tbsp diced garlic cloves · 1/2 tbsp sea salt, or to taste · 10 twists from a black pepper cracker, or to taste · 3 cups water · 2 cups whole organic grass milk · garnish with cheddar cheese, chives and seasonal edible flowers Instructions 1. Place diced onions and potatoes in soup pot with olive oil. Cook on medium heat until onions are translucent. Stir regularly to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan; you can also add a little extra olive oil or butter here if necessary. 2. Add other primary ingredients (lion's mane mushrooms, chopped broccoli, diced garlic cloves, sea salt, black pepper, water and milk). Bring to boil. Turn down to low and let simmer for 30-45 mins, stirring occasionally. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender (easiest) or food processor (be careful with hot soup!). 3. Once blended and scooped into bowls, garnish with fresh-grated cheese (we used cheddar) and seasonal flowers (we used garlic chive and rosemary flowers). Mushroom Stew Ingredients 3 tablespoons vegetable oil2 cups baby portabella mushrooms2 cups oyster mushrooms, sliced1 cup lion's mane mushroom, diced1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped½ cup chicken stock½ teaspoon salt1 tablespoon water1 teaspoon cornstarch2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper2 tablespoons sliced green onions1 teaspoon ground white pepper Directions Step 1: Put a cast iron pot into a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.Step 2: Heat oil in a wok until shimmering. Add mushrooms, cook and stir until mushrooms soften and volume is reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and salt. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and transfer mushroom mixture to the preheated pot.Step 3: Turn the oven to 300 degrees F and bake the mushrooms for 10 minutes.Step 4: Stir water and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Remove mushrooms from the oven, add cornstarch mixture, and stir everything evenly. Cover, increase oven to 375 degrees F, and bake for another 10 minutes.Step 5: Stir in bell pepper, green onions and white pepper. Bake for 5 minutes and serve.