Long celebrated as the ultimate meat substitute thanks to their, well, meaty texture, mushrooms are incredibly versatile, adapting beautifully to almost any cooking method.

If your mushroom experience is limited to sad, sweaty breakfast buttons, I’m truly sorry. You’ve been missing out on a world of texture and rich flavour: think deeply roasted, steak-like sears, or the delightful bounce-crunch-squish of battered ’shrooms. Mushrooms are best friends with pasta, rich risottos, chicken, and red meat, but they also shine as the star of a dish.

I especially love robust Asian varieties such as earthy shiitake, meaty oyster mushrooms, or crunchy enoki. Then, of course, there are porcini, morels, pine mushrooms, slippery jacks... the list goes on. The next time you’re in the mood for mushrooms, skip the pre-sliced pack and grab yourself some fun fungi instead.

Oyster mushroom ‘steak’ au poivre

As a lover of rich, spicy sauces, I’ve always been drawn to steak au poivre, even though I don’t eat beef. This elegant dish sounds far more complex than it is. It contains only a handful of ingredients, so the key to elevating it lies in using good-quality pepper. Think prized Kampot pepper from Cambodia, or a vibrant combination of black, white, pink, and Sichuan peppercorns, though regular cracked black pepper will still yield delicious results. Dry-toasting the peppercorns beforehand brings out their fruity, spicy best.

The sauce is a fusion of classic French au poivre and Chinese black pepper sauce, and it gains incredible depth from the addition of mushrooms, oyster sauce, and sauteed garlic. A splash of dark soy for colour is optional, but highly recommended.

Look for big combs of oyster mushrooms for that “steaky” effect. It won’t affect the flavour, but it is a little easier to sear one large mushroom than multiple small ones.

My hottest tip? Time your meal to enjoy this dish with a delivery of fresh, hot fries.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 500g oyster mushrooms
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small eschalot (French shallot), minced
• 30g whole peppercorns, toasted and crushed
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, brandy or cognac
• 125ml (½ cup) vegetable or chicken stock
• ½ tsp dark soy sauce (optional)
• ⅓ cup creme fraiche

• ½ tsp oyster sauce (or vegan “oyster” sauce)

METHOD

1. Preheat a heavy-based cast-iron or stainless-steel frying pan over medium-high heat until it’s smoking. Add a tablespoon of oil and heat briefly until it shimmers. Now, place the mushrooms in the pan, immediately followed by a heavy item such as a pot, skillet, or a fish weight, if you have one. Weighing them down helps press out moisture and ensures an even sear, building that deep-golden crust and wonderfully meaty texture.
2. Sear the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes, then carefully flip, reduce the heat and add the butter. Baste the mushrooms with the foaming butter for 1-2 minutes before turning off the heat. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside in a warm place to rest while you make the sauce.
3. Add the garlic and shallots to the pan and saute over medium-low heat for 1 minute until slightly softened, followed by the crushed pepper and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a simmer to evaporate the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan as you go, then add the chicken stock and dark soy, if using, and return to a simmer.
4. Place the creme fraiche in a small bowl, then whisk in a little of the hot sauce (this process, known as tempering, prevents creme fraiche from curdling when you add it to the hot sauce).
5. Pour the tempered creme fraiche back into the pan and boil over high heat until it thickens to your preferred consistency. Taste and add oyster sauce, adjusting seasoning as required, then return the mushrooms to the pan. Serve immediately with plenty of fries and a green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

Serves 2

Yum het (Thai crispy mushroom salad)

Yum het is a vibrant mushroom salad from Thailand’s famous “yum” family – a word that translates to both “delicious” and “mix”. The bright nam yum dressing perfectly captures the essence of Thai cuisine: a harmonious balance of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy notes from classic ingredients such as lime juice, fish sauce, chilli, and sugar.

While many yum salads feature protein and crunchy vegetables, this version stars mushrooms. I particularly love the crispy, battered mushrooms, their decadence beautifully cut by fresh herbs and zesty dressing. If you’re short on time, simply pan-sear or air-fry the mushrooms, then marinate them in the dressing for a few minutes while they’re still warm before serving. Use any kind of mushroom you like, opting for more textural varieties to enhance the eating experience.

Khao khua (toasted rice powder) adds incredible nutty, smoky flavour to the dish. It’s simple to make yourself (instructions below), but you can also find it at most Asian grocers. The recipe makes more than you need but you can store the rest in a small airtight jar for another dish.

INGREDIENTS

Crispy mushrooms

• 500g mixed Asian mushrooms (enoki, shimeji or oyster), trimmed
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ¾ cup cornflour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• pinch turmeric (optional, for colour)
• 1 cup cold water
• oil for frying

Khao khua (toasted rice powder)

• 50g glutinous rice
• 1 makrut lime leaf
• ½ stalk lemongrass, sliced

Larb dressing

• 1 tsp hot chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce)
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• pinch sugar

To serve

• ¼ cup coriander leaves and stalks, sliced into 3cm lengths
• ¼ cup mint leaves, torn
• 3-4 makrut lime leaves, julienned
• 2 Thai green bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
• 2 red eschalots (Asian shallots), thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp toasted rice powder, shop-bought or home-made (see recipe)
• steamed sticky rice, to serve (optional)

METHOD

1. To make the batter for the crispy mushrooms, whisk the flour, cornflour, salt, baking powder and turmeric (if using) to combine in a medium bowl, then gradually add the cold water, whisking to form a smooth batter.
2. Place a heavy-bottomed pan, deep pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add enough oil for deep-frying, and heat to 170C.
3. Break the mushrooms into large pieces following their natural shapes. Dip them into the batter, tapping off the excess, and gently lower them, a few at a time, into the hot oil to fry. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Turn once until the batter is golden and crisp all over, then remove from the oil with tongs, shaking off excess oil, and drain them over a rack or on paper towel laid on a tray. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Once you’ve fried all the mushrooms, repeat the process until they have all been double-fried. This will keep them extra crispy when added to the salad. You can also stop here and eat them as is, if you like.
4. To make the toasted rice powder, heat a dry frying pan over low heat, add the glutinous rice, lime leaf and lemongrass and gently fry until the rice is very fragrant and golden brown (5-6 minutes). Transfer the rice to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder. Set aside.
5. To make the larb dressing, combine the chilli flakes, fish sauce, lime juice and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Taste the dressing. It should be punchy, acidic but also balanced. Adjust if required, then set aside.
6. To assemble the salad, combine the fried mushrooms, herbs, sliced chillies, shallots and toasted rice powder in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a plate. Just before you eat, drizzle over the larb dressing. Enjoy as is or with sticky rice on the side.

Serves 2-3