Is the entire maitake mushroom edible?

Yes. For the most part anyway. If the stem at the bottom is soft and easy to cut through with a knife, then the entire mushroom is edible. However, sometimes the very bottom of the mushroom can get a little tough and reedy. If that's the case, just trim that bit off and discard it.

I thought you weren't supposed to cook with olive oil. Something about a low smoke point?

Yep, olive oil has a low smoke point, meaning it will begin to smoke at a lower heat than neutral cooking oils like peanut oil, canola or grapeseed oil. This low smoke point makes olive oil a poor choice for stir fries cooked over high heat and for deep frying. However, this maitake peperoncino recipe is cooked on medium heat for a fairly short period of time - just long enough so the mushrooms start to brown. Not long enough (or hot enough) to smoke. The olive oil is important for the naturally grassy, verdant flavor it introduces to the peperoncino.

Is this recipe vegan? How about gluten free?

Definitely! This recipe is both vegan and gluten free as written.

Peperoncino Maitake Mushrooms

Name: Peperoncino Maitake Mushrooms
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 maitake mushrooms (also called hen-of-the-woods); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 dried red chili, finely chopped; Salt and pepper, to taste; Lemon wedges, to serve with

Description

Make this Italian spin on Japanese stir fried mushrooms in just 15 minutes! Drizzle bright lemon juice on top of these spicy, umami peperoncino maitake mushrooms.

Ingredients

Scale

2 maitake mushrooms (also called hen-of-the-woods)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 dried red chili, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, to serve with

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Instructions

Prep the maitake mushroom: Rinse and pat the large maitake mushroom dry. Use your hands to gently separate the caps from the stem. Once the caps have been pulled, slice the soft part of the stem into bite size pieces. If part of the stem is tough, cut it off and dispose of it.
Saute the mushrooms: Place a medium skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil and swirl it around to coat the surface evenly. Add the mushrooms and gently saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until they begin to caramelize and turn a golden brown.
Add the seasonings: Add the garlic and dried chili and saute for 1 minute. Turn the heat off and season with a little salt and pepper.
Serve: Transfer the maitake mushroom to a plate and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days (covered).

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 68
Sugar: 0.1g
Sodium: 0.8mg
Fat: 7.2g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 0.8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 1.6g
Fiber: 0.3g
Protein: 0.3g
Cholesterol: 0mg