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How to Soak Dried Forest Mushrooms
Instructions
Prepare the necessary ingredients. Tip the dried wild mushrooms into a saucepan. Use wild dried mushrooms specifically – they have the brightest aroma (porcini, aspen mushrooms, chanterelles). Shop-bought dried champignons are less aromatic.
Pour cold water into the saucepan with the wild mushrooms and rinse them by hand. Drain the water away. This first rinse removes the dust and small bits of debris that often remain on dried mushrooms.
Pour in fresh water again so that it covers the mushrooms. Leave them for a few hours, or overnight. During this time the mushrooms will soak up moisture, regain their volume (swelling to two or three times their size) and become ready for further cooking.
The soaked mushrooms are ready for cooking. Now you can use them for soup, pie fillings, stewing or frying – in any dish that calls for mushrooms. Do not pour away the soaking water – it is an aromatic "mushroom broth" that is added to soups to boost the mushroom flavour.
Soaking dried wild mushrooms is the first step towards making a tasty soup from dried porcini mushrooms. By following these instructions, you can enjoy an aromatic and rich dish.
Tips
- 1
Use COLD water for soaking – hot water will "pull" the aroma out of the mushrooms and into the water. Cold water gives the best rehydration.
- 2
The FIRST rinse is essential – it removes dust and debris. Straight after it, pour in the second lot of water for the actual soaking.
- 3
Do NOT pour away the soaking water – it is an aromatic mushroom broth. Use it in soups, risottos and sauces. I use the same principle in other mushroom dishes.
- 4
The minimum soaking time is 2 hours, and overnight (8–12 hours) is ideal. Heavily dried mushrooms need more time to rehydrate fully.
Video
FAQ
How long should you soak dried mushrooms? +
A minimum of 2 hours in cold water, with 6–8 hours or overnight being ideal. During this time the mushrooms regain their shape and texture. Thinly sliced dried mushrooms (for rice or fillings) need only 1–2 hours. Thick pieces of caps and stems definitely need longer. If you are in a real hurry, you can use the "quick" method: pour over boiling water and leave for 30–40 minutes, but the aroma will be less intense. It is better to plan ahead and soak them the evening before.
Can you soak them in milk? +
Yes, soaking in milk is a well-known trick for "delicate" mushroom dishes. Milk softens the texture and gives the finished product a "milder" flavour. It suits cream soups and risottos. The downside: the flavour will be less "mushroomy" and more "milky". You can also soak them in salted water (1 teaspoon of salt per litre) – this kills off any possible micro-organisms and gives a "cleaner" flavour. For classic Russian mushroom dishes, plain cold water is ideal.
What should you do with the soaking water? +
It is the "liquid gold" of mushroom cookery – do not pour it away! Use it: as a base for soup (instead of plain water), for making risotto (it replaces part of the stock), for sauces (a mushroom gravy for meat), or for stewing vegetables (it gives deep aroma). Be sure to strain it through cheesecloth or a fine sieve – there may be a sediment of sand or debris at the bottom. You can freeze it in ice-cube trays and use it as needed. One cube is enough for one portion of risotto.
How can you tell the mushrooms are well soaked? +
Mushrooms that are ready for cooking have swelled to two or three times their volume, become soft (easily pierced with a fork) and lost their "dry" texture. Under-soaked mushrooms are tough in the centre and hard to slice. If the mushrooms do not rehydrate within 8 hours, it means they are too dried out or were stored incorrectly. You can simmer them for 5–10 minutes in water after soaking. Freshly dried mushrooms (up to 6 months old) rehydrate easily, while old ones (a year or more) may have lost some of their aroma.
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