Collecting & Preserving Mushrooms from the Wild

Roasting

If your mushrooms are rain-soaked or they are wet, it is important to cook them in a large, wide sauté pan over high heat to quickly evaporate the moisture, or spread them out on a baking pan and roast in a hot oven. If they are bunch up they will steam and get mushy.

Use 12 ounces of fresh wild mushrooms and 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Slice mushrooms about ½ inch thick and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with olive oil to coat slightly, add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to parchment or a shallow foil-lined roasting pan. Roast for 12 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, or until mushrooms are cooked through and edges are brown and turning crispy. Remove from the oven and place pan on a slant to cool, so any liquid that accumulates can be drained and saved for another use, such as flavoring sauces or soups. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. To reheat, melt some butter in a sauce pan, add thawed mushrooms if frozen, and gently stir until heated through (recipe came from The Oregonian newspaper).