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Japanese Mushrooms: Sauteed King Trumpet Mushrooms and Greens with Soft-boiled Egg

Posted by Stormy on

I love mushrooms.  I love their unique flavor and texture, and even how they are grown.Recently, I discovered that my favorite Asian grocery store is carrying some amazing Japanese-variety mushrooms – King Trumpet (AKA King Oyster), white and brown beech (AKA Shimeji – pictured below), and Maitake mushrooms.  And, I’ve been eating them like crazy ever since: sauteed, stir-fried with other veg, in omelets and soup, you name it.

The company – Hokto Kinoko – that grows them, while headquartered in Japan, grows these delightful fungi in California for the US market.  They are all USDA-certified organic, beautiful in look and flavor, and really affordable – even compared to standard grocery store mushrooms, let alone more exotic and organic varieties.

Oh, and, while mushrooms are considered a super food, exotic Japanese varieties like these appear to have far greater health benefits – like antioxidant, cholesterol-reducing and/or cancer-fighting properties – than common grocery-store types.

King Trumpet Mushrooms

King Trumpets…they are a mushroom lover’s mushroom.

King Trumpet Mushrooms,

Like all mushrooms, their water content causes them to shrink down as they cook, but they are solid enough that they retain their texture in the process.  They are meaty, hold their delicious flavor (rather than getting lost in other ingredients), and are perfect eaten on their own or as a center-piece for a vegetarian dish.

Last month, Bon Appetit featured a mushroom salad recipe using King Trumpet mushrooms (they recommend crimini/baby bella mushrooms – which can be easier to find – in their place, if needed).

The salad looked lovely, and was great inspiration, but I decided to saute the mushrooms with garlic, red onion, and greens instead and serve them with a soft-boiled egg.

How to Make Sauteed Mushrooms and Greens with Soft-boiled Egg

  • Bring a pot of water to boil. At the same time, preheat a saute pan to medium heat.
  • When the pan is warm, add a tablespoon of olive oil.  Saute red onion, garlic, and mushrooms until wilted – about 5-7 minutes.
  • At the same time, add your egg or eggs to the pot of boiling water and turn the temperature down to a gentle simmer only (important).  Set a timer for 6 minutes. —scroll down for instructions for perfect soft-boiled eggs
  • When mushrooms have cooked, add in spinach and wilt slightly.  A minute or two.  Plate them.
  • When eggs are done, run under cold water to cool and gently peel them under running water.  Slice in half and nest on top of vegetables.
  • Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and maybe some black sesame seeds if you like.
  • Voila!

It was a simple 5-ingredient meal with amazing color and flavor!  But, my egg was a little runnier than I would like – this is what happens when you try to estimate a cooking process that requires precise timing.

Next time, I think I would poach the egg or take more care in the soft-boiling process.  In fact, I might even marinate them in some watered-down liquid coconut aminos ramen-style for a little extra flavor.

Soft-boiled Egg Technique (Step 1 in a Ramen-style Marinated Egg)

Source: Serious Eats

  • Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
  • Pierce fat end of each egg with a thumbtack to make a tiny hole (this prevents them from cracking and eliminates the air bubble at the end).
  • Carefully lower eggs into boiling water with a wire mesh spider or slotted spoon.
  • Reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer (This is important; a boil will make the whites too hard).
  • Cook for exactly 6 minutes (Less = runny; more = hard).
  • Drain hot water and carefully peel eggs (the whites will be tender) under cold running water.

Want more Japanese Mushroom information and recipes?