Button mushrooms are regular white mushrooms that have been picked at the first stage of development when the cap is still tightly closed around the stem.
Botanical name: Agaricus bisporus Common name: Champignons
Buttons are the youngest and generally (but not always) the smallest. The name refers to their shape and stage of growth, not the size. The cap of the button mushroom is always tightly closed around the stem. They have a firm, delicate texture and mild flavour that intensifies when cooked.
Available in 4Kg box or 200g punnet:
Preparation
There’s no need to wash or peel mushrooms – simply brush off any specks or wipe over with a damp cloth or paper towel. Trim stems as required.
When stored in a brown paper bag on the bottom shelf of the fridge, mushrooms will last at least a week. So when you’re shopping, fill the bag full of fresh mushrooms so you can add them to various meals throughout the week
No waste and no fuss make mushrooms one of the easiest ingredients to prepare.
There is no need to peel mushrooms, apart from being time consuming a lot of goodness and flavour is in the skin.
Wipe mushrooms gently with a damp cloth. If necessary, simply use a soft brush to remove any dirt from the skin surface and trim the stem end. Do not soak in water, as the mushrooms will absorb water.
Caps and stems can be used in recipes.
Usage
MICROWAVE – Place 125g whole button mushrooms on a plate, drizzled with olive oil or dotted with butter. Top with chopped shallots, herbs, crushed garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Microwave, covered, on HIGH (100%) for 2 to 3 minutes. Mushrooms may be added to many microwave dishes as desired.
DEEP-FRIED – Cook whole button mushrooms by dipping in a light batter or by coating in flour, egg and breadcrumbs; deep-fry a few at a time until golden. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve with sauce of choice.
STEAMED – Prepare whole button mushrooms by blanching in hot water with lemon juice for 30 seconds. Drain. Steam over boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve as a meal accompaniment.
RAW – Use whole for dipping, or whole or sliced in salads, sandwich fillings for a snack.
