Seasoned with fresh herbs, mushrooms are an excellent raw salad ingredient, and also add flavour to many cooked dishes.

Select firm, unblemished, fresh-looking mushrooms that are creamy white in color. Large mushrooms are great for garnishing and in casseroles, small ones are more practical.

Preparation: Some people simply wipe mushrooms with a cloth before cooking, but it’s better to wash them gently and briefly in a large quantity of water to dissolve any dirt. Do this just before cooking, otherwise they lose their lovely color. Mushrooms can be steamed, microwaved, stir-fried, baked or barbecued, and are a popular addition to casseroles. When baking and barbecuing, dry the washed (large) mushrooms, brush them with a little olive oil and season with pepper just before cooking.

Suggested seasoning: Lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, soy sauce, parsley, chives, basil, nutmeg, cummin, garlic.

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