Mushrooms 101
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 recipes below were developed for a cooking class at the Park Slope Food Coop on January 21, 2026. 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 Mushroom Ragoût
(and bonus pâté recipe)
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. The oyster mushrooms in this ragoût recipe retain a wonderfully meaty texture and 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.
BONUS RECIPE: 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).
Vegan Creamed Polenta
Polenta is just coarsely ground cornmeal. It can absorb lots of different flavor profiles and compliment lots of menus. 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! This recipe also includes a tip for reviving leftover polenta! Cook time: 30 min. Serves 6-8.
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.
