How can I use up … old mushrooms?

Mon 1 May 2006

Mushrooms This is more a recipe request than a recycling thing but it saves them from the compost heap…

Despite our best efforts, we quite often find ourselves left with a couple of mushrooms when they’re starting to get a bit bruised and, well, a bit slimey. And yet we can’t always bring ourselves to just fling them out.

At what point, should they say hello to Captain Compost? And a few minutes before that, any particular recipes or dishes that hide the fact they’re not as fresh as they might be? Or any other suggestions with things to do with them?

(photo by Mela, c/o sxc.hu)

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I find if you peel back the outer layer of skin, it helps them a lot.

I tend to use past-it mushrooms quite a lot - as long as they don’t feel too rubbery to cut, I think they’re fine. I just make sure I cook them really well in a soup or a curry or something.

SaraR

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Use them in a spicy curry. The strong flavours mask any suspiciousness of the mushrooms.

Do make sure they aren’t fluffy or anything first of course.

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Does anyone know if you can grow more mushrooms by collecting spores from old ones? Or is it more complicated than that?

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i make this version of this soup - with my old mushrooms. if i’ve not got any other exciting fresh mushrooms in, i add dried porcini and some other dried mushrooms i get from the chinese supermarket for the mushroom variety. dried mushrooms are your friends.

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