William Doran — Sun., Jan. 18, 2026

Mushrooms are pretty magical. They seem to appear from thin air in nature.

They are spongy and mild when raw, but release incredibly deep flavors when roasted or pan fried. If mushrooms are your thing - or you just want to learn more about them (and how to cook them) - I’ll be teaching a class at the Park Slope Food Coop Wed., Jan. 21 at 7:30 PM EST. Reserve a spot or join for free via Zoom if you aren’t close by!

We’re making three recipes (printable PDFs at links):

1. Oyster Mushroom Ragout w/ Creamed Polenta

2. Bonus Recipe: Mushroom Pate (included in PDF above)

3. Shiitake Sesame Slaw

A very special thank you to the Park Slope Food Coop and their Cooking Class Series for letting me play in their kitchen and teach everything I know about mushrooms! The Coop hosts live cooking classes monthly (typically on the 3rd Wednesday of the month) which can be joined in-person at the Coop or virtually via Zoom. RSVP to classes here!

Oyster mushrooms can withstand a lot of cooking and still retain their wonderfully meaty texture.

This ragoût recipe can be served with polenta or any variety of comforting carbs such as pasta or rice. They stand up well to long cook times. The prep time is minimal, but they cook down on the stove for about 45 minutes. This recipe can serve 6 for dinner or stretch to serve 8-10 as a side depending on what you serve it with.

Polenta is a perfect match for savory mushrooms.

It is simply coarsely ground cornmeal and can absorb lots of different flavor profiles. Though it typically requires a 4:1 liquid-to-corn ratio, this recipe increases the liquid to six (6) parts to achieve a much softer, creamier texture without using any dairy! Polenta is also very forgiving and hard to overcook, just keep a close eye so it doesn’t stick! Recipe included in the PDF linked above.

Bonus Recipe: Mushroom Pâté

Place leftover, cold ragoût into the bowl of a food processor or blender and add a few tablespoons of dry vermouth, sherry, or other tasty cooking wine. Blend for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is velvety smooth. Serve as a pâté with crackers or on bread as pictured above. It also makes a great dip for crudité or even a filling for ravioli! If you’re only here for the pâté, feel free to skip the ragoût altogether and go straight to this bonus recipe! (See PDF linked above).

Shiitake Sesame Slaw

A quality of mushrooms oft not considered is their innate ability to absorb other flavors. This recipe comes together incredibly quickly because it is 90% prep work and requires no cooking. Here, shiitake are sliced crosswise and tossed with a sweet-savory sesame dressing along with cabbage, red peppers, mint, and cilantro. Top with some toasted sesame seeds or cashews to add even more crunch. Prep time: 15 min. Serves 6-8.

Food Coop Cooks

The Park Slope Food Coop has been hosting cooking classes above the Coop at 782 Union Street in Brooklyn for almost 30 years. The crew that runs the classes (myself included) now films and broadcasts the classes via Zoom in addition to in-person instruction. Classes are held monthly and you can sign up, download recipes, and find shopping lists to cook along from home at foodcoopcooks.org. Follow the Cooking Squad on Instagram at instagram.com/foodcoopcooks for more content including shopping sessions with guest chefs!

If you’re enjoying what you see, please forward this newsletter or give me a shout at william@adventurouscooks.com. Ask me questions or tell me why you hate cooking. I will gladly convince you that cooking is fun and that you can do it in your spare time. Find and follow me on social media below!