Porcini "flour"

[not2late]

Just saw this being sold in a cooking catalogue. It's dried porcini mushrooms "milled" into a flour and is being sold for $19.00 (plus shipping and handling) for 1/2 pound!

Anyhow, would I be able to mill my own porcini flour using dried porcinis and a coffee grinder?

Will this stuff thicken sauces (not taking roux type thick, but give the sauce alittle body)?

Will I be able to use it as an "instant" mushroom soup powder?

[MotherOfGizmo]

I don't know the answers to your questions, but it sounds yummy--bet Nullo will know! :yes

[not2late]

Yeah, it does sound good and I have some dried porcinis at home I can grind up. (I'm not ABOUT to spend $20.00 for 1/2 pound of it if I can't figure out what to do with it either!). The catalogue just says it add flavor, but I'm wondering if it will give body to a pan sauce.

I bet I can add alittle to my usual herb/spice mix for pork chops or chicken breast.

I wonder if I could do the same thing with dried shitaki mushrooms too...they were on sale at the Asian supermarket last week 1 pound for $4.99 so I bought a couple of pounds. ensive

[MotherOfGizmo]

Speaking of dried shitaki mushrooms, or any mushrooms for that matter. I have a dehydrator, wonder if they would come out right if I dried some fresh mushrooms in it? and then ground them up. Shiitakes were on sale here back in the summer but I didn't think about dehydrating some for later, that would have been an excellent thing to do because they are usually pretty expensive around here.

[not2late]

Speaking of dried shitaki mushrooms, or any mushrooms for that matter. I have a dehydrator, wonder if they would come out right if I dried some fresh mushrooms in it? and then ground them up. Shiitakes were on sale here back in the summer but I didn't think about dehydrating some for later, that would have been an excellent thing to do because they are usually pretty expensive around here.

Yes, that would work. I've dried fresh shiitakes before when I found them at a really good (inexpensive) price.

If you freeze them, saute them in oil first. If you freeze them raw, they'll defrost into a mushy pile of yuck!.

[MotherOfGizmo]

Thanks. Never thought of freezing them.

[NulloModo]

Hmm, sadly, I don't know much about mushroom flours.

I have thickened sauces with pureed fresh mushrooms in the past, but never tried with dried... Seeing as how mushrooms can absorb lots of water, I imagine it could work though, try it out and let us know how it goes.

[not2late]

Hmm, sadly, I don't know much about mushroom flours.

I have thickened sauces with pureed fresh mushrooms in the past, but never tried with dried... Seeing as how mushrooms can absorb lots of water, I imagine it could work though, try it out and let us know how it goes.

Well, I give it a try after Christmas (too busy right now).

[Heidi3]

I am not sure how I missed this! I make mushroom flour all the time...I dry my lame looking shrooms mix with some dried wild ones and then grind in the coffee grinder yes!!...it is good mixed with parmesan for chicken coating as well as an awesome thickener ...you can mix with a little salt and sprinkle over roasts or whatever...even for a quick broth...I love them ...dried porcinni go for about $18 for a giant container on www.saffron.com I buy them when I do not find enough myself....

[not2late]

Thanks Heidi.

I was doing some web searches on it and I found several recipes that use it as a coating for pork chops, steaks, etc.

I'm going to try it with the boatload of dried shiitakes I bought on sale.

[Heidi3]

Thanks Heidi.

I was doing some web searches on it and I found several recipes that use it as a coating for pork chops, steaks, etc.

I'm going to try it with the boatload of dried shiitakes I bought on sale.

I love shitake boatloads!!! what a score ..you are going to go nuts with this stuff I make a seasoning sprinkle of mushroom powder, black pepper, kosher salt, paprika, and chile and a pinch of dried sage ....

[NulloModo]

Hmm, local Asian markets always seem to have dried mushrooms for good prices, I will have to pick some up to try this 'mushroom flour' out.

They also sell dried anchovies, and I have a Korean friend who is fond of snacking on those like chips... I might try that too.

[Heidi3]

Hmm, local Asian markets always seem to have dried mushrooms for good prices, I will have to pick some up to try this 'mushroom flour' out.

They also sell dried anchovies, and I have a Korean friend who is fond of snacking on those like chips... I might try that too.

We have a lot of good Korean markets here and there are a lot of things in them that can be used in our WOE ...the dried anchovies make a great addition to broths I just toss them in ...my son's used to call it "guppy soup" because of the tiny fish in them!...they have great seaweeds as well that can be used as thickeners....they do have giant bags of shitaki for every little money as well as cloud ears and other kinds of crunch yummy fungus I can not figure out but have learned to eat in wonderful cash register or isle given recipes....Kim Chee soup is great have you made that? I put dried sliced black mushrooms in that.....
but the mushroom powder is really fun to use for all kinds of things ..I learned the trick from an old mushroom hunter here who used to take all the trimmings from all types of wild musrooms dry and powder them then make the best stews!!!!.....the only thing I have not like with mushrooms ...is curry darn it...they just do not go together my two favorite foods...mushrooms and curry.....blech.....

[not2late]

Hmm, local Asian markets always seem to have dried mushrooms for good prices, I will have to pick some up to try this 'mushroom flour' out.

They also sell dried anchovies, and I have a Korean friend who is fond of snacking on those like chips... I might try that too.

My "local" Asian supermarket (it's two counties away, but the trip is worth it!) has various items and good deals on roasted unsalted macadamia nuts, fresh veggies and fruits, meats (like those painfully thin slices of beef ribeye), and fresh fish (they have them in holding tanks!).

I bought my dried shiitake boatload for $4.99 for a big 1 pound bag, the usual price is about $10.00. So I picked up a couple of bags. I also buy bags of seaweed (in a pinch, I just have to rehydrate, chop them into bite size pieces, and marinate them in a ginger and sesame oil spiked vinagrette for a seaweed salad).

I've tried the dried anchovies before. Very salty and crunchy a nice alternative to bacon in the morning, imo. But I've also pulverized them and used them as an "anchovy powder" to flavor things.

If you like squid or cuttlefish, look for the prepared cuttlefish or squid snack. They're dried cuttlefish or squid jerky, cut into thin strips---they look sort of like cream colored rubberbands. There are also a dried shrimp and dried clam or scallop snacks too. Apparently these dried seafood snacks are popular in Japan, Korea and Hawaii.

[Heidi3]

yum I planned on Roasted Cauliflower but I am thinking Korean food now!!!...