The Fast and Easy Way to Clean Mushrooms

The mushroom myth is that you’re not supposed to wash mushrooms because they will absorb the water. So you can brush away at them for hours — or you can challenge that myth and give ‘em a plunge bath. In fact, mushrooms don’t absorb that much water, and they’re actually mostly water anyway. A little H2O isn’t going to cause massive mushroom havoc.

Place the mushrooms in a bowl of water and give them a quick turn to get all the dirt off. Remove them from the bowl and cover with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture.

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The Basics
Almost all mushrooms available at supermarkets are cultivated, not wild. The most common varieties of this fungus are mild-tasting white button, flavorful cremini (also called baby bellos), earthy portobello, savory shiitake, and delicate oyster.

What to Look for
Mushrooms should be firm, unbroken, and free of blemishes, damp spots, and mold.

To Store
Refrigerate mushrooms on a paper-towel-lined plate or in a bowl covered with a moist paper towel for up to 2 days.

To Cook
Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel or, if necessary, rinse quickly with water. Trim the ends (discard the tough stems of shiitakes). Mushrooms are excellent roasted, sauteed, or grilled.

24 small button mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove stems from mushrooms, and reserve if they are to be used in the filling. Use a damp cloth or mushroom brush to clean mushrooms, or briefly dip in water. Brush each mushroom with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Place mushroom caps, cavity side down, on a baking sheet. Roast until the mushrooms are golden and their liquid begins to seep from the cavity, 6 to 7 minutes. Place cavity side up on paper towels to drain. The mushroom caps can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 hours.

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