Paris mushroom

Paris Mushrooms

Used to mushroom picking ? Here is a specimen that you must not have seen very often in the woods: the button mushroom. However, it is everywhere on the stalls of your market gardeners!

Direct descendant of the Rosé des Prés mushroom, the button mushroom is a "mushroom" of the Agaricaceae family: it is the most common of all the mushrooms consumed today in the world.

Blond, white or even sometimes pink, this mushroom goes wonderfully with many of your culinary preparations, cooked as raw. Let’s start now to discover this real pillar of our French terroir.

Does the Paris mushroom really come from Paris?

That's right… you have surely already asked yourself the question: is the button mushroom really Parisian?

Unfortunately for the pride of the inhabitants of our beautiful capital, Paris mushrooms are absolutely not exclusively from the city of lights. This fungus even grows well outside of France since Ancient Egypt!

It was not until the XNUMXth century and Louis XIV to see this famous white mushroom arrive in France, at Versailles. It was finally under Napoleon III that the cultivation of the Paris mushroom developed strongly, in particular in the Parisian catacombs: the Paris mushroom therefore takes its name from this origin which highlighted the ideal production conditions for this mushroom. .

Today, its cultivation has spread widely all over the world: with more than 200 tonnes of mushrooms produced each year, France is only the fourth largest producer in the world behind the United States, the Netherlands and the China.

Did you know: the majority of mushroom farms in Paris had to be relocated from the capital to Saumur for the construction of the metro in the 20th century! Today, only two mushroom farms are still active in the Paris region: the Paris mushroom is no longer so Parisian as that.

Everything is good in the mushroom!

There is no doubt about the popularity of the button mushroom: it tastes so good! But, beyond a purely taste aspect, let's take a look at the nutrients that these little white hats can bring us, whether you eat it fresh or canned.

It is unsuspected, but the button mushroom is very rich in water (it is in particular for this reason that it reduces significantly during cooking). It is also low in lipids and carbohydrates: ultimately, this mushroom is very low in calories.

If it is therefore not consumed for its energy supply, this does not prevent the button mushroom from providing us with other essential nutrients: it is rich in fibers, vitamins (B3, B2, B5, B9), in mineral salts and trace elements (copper, potassium).

Button mushrooms all year round: a special cultivation method

Unlike many other mushrooms, you cannot go out and pick button mushrooms in the forest. Indeed, like the shiitake mushroom, blue foot or oyster mushroom, button mushrooms are grown in mushroom houses. The morille has also been cultivated recently, in a greenhouse.

If autumn is the season well known for forest mushrooms for its weather conditions favorable to the growth of wild mushrooms, this specific cultivation method allows us to enjoy the button mushroom all year round! Its cultivation is quick and easy, which means that you will find it very easily in supermarkets or at your first store at very affordable prices.

Did you know: it is even possible to embark on the adventure of growing button mushrooms directly at home thanks to a special compost that will have been previously seeded with spawn.

How to store button mushroom?

Once cut, button mushrooms can only be stored for five or six days when placed in the refrigerator. Beyond that, brown or ocher stains may appear on his hat.

Prefer to keep button mushrooms in a paper bag rather than in a plastic bag to avoid accelerating their deterioration. Be careful, however, to place them away from fragrant foods such as cheese for example because these mushrooms absorb odors.

Trick : a few brown spots should not condemn your delicious button mushrooms. By peeling or cutting off the damaged parts, you can still cook and consume these mushrooms.

For long-term storage, know that button mushroom freezes very well raw or cooked once it is well cleaned.

Preparation: should you peel the button mushroom?

It's finally time to get down to business: what if we tasted these delicious mushrooms now?

Before taking out herbs and other ingredients, let's stop for a few moments on the preparation of the button mushroom: should we remove the stems? Should we peel the skin of the fungus? Should you soak the mushrooms before cooking them? Can we prepare them in advance?

If you bought button mushrooms with the stem not cut off, first cut off the earthy end at the base of the mushroom stem.

Then wash the mushrooms quickly under cold water and dry them with a tea towel. It is best not to let the button mushroom soak, as it may soak up water and become spongy.

Then comes the fateful step: peeling. In fact, you don't need to peel your button mushrooms, especially if you are cooking them. However, if you eat them raw, we recommend removing the skin for a better texture. To do this, gently pull the skin piece by piece with a knife, starting from the base of the hat and going up to the top of the hat.

All you have to do is cut the mushrooms into quarters, strips, brunoise or julienne according to your preparation.

Note: it is better not to prepare the mushrooms in advance so that they retain maximum freshness.

At table !

Finally the long awaited moment! Raw or cooked, button mushrooms can be found in your favorite dishes:

  • In your soups, velvety and purees: this mushroom brings a woody note;
  • As a garnish in your salted crepes, served with crème fraîche and parsley for a forest galette to die for!
  • In risotto: nothing like a mushroom risotto for a tasty and comforting dish. Do not hesitate to associate this mushroom with others dried mushrooms or fresh for more flavor diversity;
  • To stuff: the tomatoes are no longer in season? So try the stuffed mushrooms;
  • In your mixed: raw salads, the button mushroom has a completely different taste. We advise you to garnish your salad with a lemon juice vinaigrette so that the mushroom remains perfectly white;
  • As an accompaniment: you can also opt for the simplicity of a pan-fried button mushrooms associated with a vegetable to accompany a piece of meat and even fish.

 

There are certainly a thousand and one ways to taste the button mushroom, whether it plays a supporting role or is the king of the plate. It remains the big favorite in our hearts and on our plates!

Let yourself be seduced by: