If you’re wondering how to cook frozen porcini mushrooms, you’re not alone.
The availability of different formats in frozen mushroom packages leaves many doubts. So you always wonder if the same method will work for both diced mushrooms and whole or sliced ones.
The first consideration to make is valid for any type of frozen mushroom: you should never proceed with complete thawing before cooking, in any case.
Here are our tips on how to cook frozen porcini mushrooms to get the best out of each type. We will also see what the best uses and combinations can be.
How to cook frozen porcini mushrooms
We have seen how the most common types of frozen porcini mushrooms are essentially three:
- sliced
- diced
- whole
We also know the basic rule, which is never to completely thaw our bags of frozen mushrooms. The reason for this is that, if subjected to prolonged thawing, the mushrooms tend to release a lot of water.
The loss of water, in fact, causes the mushroom to lose its proper consistency. It would become mushy, and after cooking it would reduce to a pulp.
Let’s see now how to cook frozen porcini mushrooms for each format.
Sliced porcini mushrooms
Sliced porcini mushrooms are the most convenient and versatile. Finding them already cut into wide but thin slices, these mushrooms release the least amount of water. Beautiful to present, they are ideal for use as a side dish or as a condiment for risottos and tagliatelle.
In a large pan, prepare a sauté with oil, garlic, and onion, then pour in the mushrooms directly without thawing. Cook over high heat, always checking that they do not burn. When all the water has evaporated, deglaze with a little white wine. Let the wine evaporate as well and, only at this point, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and the dish is ready!
Diced porcini mushrooms
The preparation of this format of mushrooms is very similar to that seen previously for sliced mushrooms. In this case, however, you will have smaller and more compact pieces of porcini mushrooms, particularly suitable for accompanying dishes such as polenta or a meat main course.
Also in this case, the suggestion is to open the package directly onto the pan with the sauté and cook over high heat to quickly evaporate all the water they will release.
Whole porcini mushrooms
When you buy a package of whole frozen porcini mushrooms, you have two options. You can choose to separate the stem from the cap, so you can cook the latter in the oven and slice the stems. Alternatively, you can choose to slice the whole mushroom.
In the first case, simply remove the frozen porcini from the package a few minutes earlier and prepare the mushroom caps according to the classic recipe. Place the caps on the lightly oiled oven tray and cook at a temperature of 120°C for half an hour. Halfway through cooking, turn the mushrooms and sprinkle with a mixture of garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
If, on the other hand, you decide to slice them, remove them from the freezer and proceed with the cutting only when they have reached a consistency similar to that of a potato. Then prepare them as explained for the sliced mushrooms.
We have seen how cooking frozen mushrooms is a fairly easy procedure. Moreover, the different formats available make the porcini very versatile and suitable for different preparations.
And how do you like to prepare porcini mushrooms? What are your favorite mushroom recipes?