The Common Mushroom

The most widely cultivated and consumed mushroom, the common mushroom is found in various regions, including North and South America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Easily grown, it owes its French name, champignon de Paris, to the fact that it has been cultivated intensively in abandoned quarries around the French capital for close to 200 years. The most popular variety of common mushroom has a fleshy white cap that can measure up to 4" across and a white stem that’s 1–2" inches long. This variety is known as the button mushroom, the table mushroom, or the cultivated mushroom.

Other Types of Common Mushrooms

In the United States, one of the most popular types of common mushroom is the portobello mushroom. Larger and darker-colored than the button mushroom, it has an exceptional flavor reminiscent of wild mushrooms. Portobello mushrooms, which are sold riper than other common mushrooms, are delicious fried and can be added to dishes cooked in sauce. A less widely sold variety, the cremini mushroom, is coffee-colored. Some people avoid these darker mushrooms in the mistaken belief that they are old, when they are in fact more flavorful than their pale cousins.

Nutritional Information: Common Mushrooms

Nutrient		Raw (per 100 g)
Water		91%
Protein		3 g
Fat		0.2 g
Carbohydrates		0.3 g
Calories		14

The common mushroom is rich in potassium and is a good source of riboflavin.

How to Buy Common Mushrooms

Common mushrooms are available fresh, canned, and dried. Supermarkets often sell presliced fresh common mushrooms, which keep up to 90 days as they have been quickly blanched and placed in a salt or ascorbic acid solution. Their flavor and nutritional value are somewhere between those of fresh and canned mushrooms. If you’re buying whole fresh common mushrooms, keep these tips in mind:

Look for: Fresh mushrooms that are intact, firm, and fleshy
Avoid: Mushrooms that are wrinkled, slimy, spotted, or whose caps are split—all signs of age

How to Store Common Mushrooms

Keep common mushrooms in the refrigerator, in a paper bag, or wrapped in a damp cloth. They will last for about a week. You can also freeze them, dry them, or can them.

How to Prepare Common Mushrooms

Follow these steps to prepare fresh common mushrooms for serving or for cooking:

Rinse: Rinse the mushrooms under the tap or dip them in water with a bit of vinegar added—the vinegar helps prevent the mushrooms from turning brown.
Clean: Wipe with a damp paper towel or clean using a soft mushroom brush (available at cooking stores).
Dry: Don’t leave common mushrooms to soak, as they will absorb too much water. Instead, dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Trim the stems: With a sharp knife, slice off the very bottom of the stem of each mushroom.

If you intend to serve cut mushrooms raw, sprinkle them with lemon juice, vinegar, salad dressing, or another acidic liquid to prevent them from turning brown.

How to Cook Common Mushrooms

Common mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked, and can be served whole, in pieces, sliced, diced, chopped, or pureed. They are delicious in appetizers, salads, and with dips. Traditionally linked with meat, they go particularly well with onions and rice. Mushrooms are included in a wide variety of dishes, including soups, sauces, stuffings, stews, omelets, and quiches. These mushrooms are most often sautéed:

Put some butter or cooking oil in a saucepan and heat it on high for a few minutes.
Add the mushrooms and brown them for about 5 minutes at high heat, stirring continually.
Take them off the burner once they start to ooze water.

Sample Recipe: Mushroom and Cream Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 shallots
3 Tbsp chopped parsley leaves
Salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream

Steps

Slice the mushrooms thinly. Place them in a salad bowl, sprinkle them with the lemon juice, and make sure they soak up the juice.
Finely chop the shallots and add them with the parsley to the mushrooms. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir.
Add the cream and stir again. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve the salad as a first course. Add more cream if desired.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer