#1: 2.3lb CHESTNUT MUSHROOMS:

Chestnut mushrooms are a very popular variety despite only being available in the US from selective farms since the late teens.  Chestnuts hold up well to heavy browning- whether sauteed in a pan or braised/roasted in the oven.   They have a nutty and sweet flavor that is at home in most mushroom recipes.  

A way to serve chestnut mushrooms that is sure to please starts with taking clusters of mushrooms and cutting off the base- just enough to separate them into individual mushrooms.  With larger mushrooms, tear them in half straight through the stem (starting with a cap edge).  Smaller mushrooms can be left whole.  Start them in a pan over medium-high with a bit of high-heat cooking oil like refined avocado, coconut, ghee, tallow, algae-cooking oil etc.  After a few minutes, the mushrooms should be cooked through.  At this point, add butter (or hickory oil is the best vegan substitute IMO), and brown the mushrooms heavily (simultaneously browning the butter).  Add salt, pepper, and your herbs of choice (thyme is great).  Then add a splash of dry white wine (you’ll be glad you did)- unoaked chardonnay is my favorite.  And cook it off for a minute.  These mushrooms are great on a pasta as is, or in a cream sauce, seafood broth, or pesto.

Option #2: 2.5lb Lions Mane median-sized lobes.

Lobes can be cut into 2-3 thicker steaks or 4-5 thinner steaks.. Or, they can be torn into “comets.”

Lions are best known for their sweet, crab-like texture and the totally unique compounds they possess that have positive effects on the brain and nervous system.  Before you get too excited, no they're not THOSE kinds of effects.  But it is something that some folks report feeling after eating them. 

Note:   Lions are sweet as far as mushrooms go-- they contain natural sugars that love to caramelize quickly, so while I love to saute them, keep in mind that they will burn if left on for the amount of time most other varieties require.  So if you are working them into a mix, add them to the pan after the others start to soften down.

To cut or tear?  One approach is to cut them into 1/2" steaks.  Another is to tear them into "comets.”

I love coconut oil/fat with my pom poms, especially for Curries (Thai, Indian etc.) -- it brings out the sweetness-- though most oils/fats will do.  Using butter, then adding garlic and greens/herbs like parsley and a tiny splash of white wine will bring out the seafoodiness.   If you're not into fat, they also steam very nicely,  There may be some blue coloration that results that is totally fine.  Maybe a chemist can explain?  They are wonderful absorptive mushrooms.  This can be used to your advantage by immersing them in flavorful sauces.  

Dashi (an umami-rich broth made of dried shiitake, kombu aka kelp +/- bonito flakes). is a Lion’s best friend.  The key is to add just enough dashi to deglaze pan-seared poms (butter is best) to add and return flavors to the poms without washing off the caremelization on the business side of your pom steak.  You will probably want to boost the sweet, salt, and acid to taste.  Think brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar.  And of course caramlized shallots.  

Another approach that works well with Lions is slow braise.  This brings out a totally different texture to the mushroom.  Instead of being seafood-like it's meaty, akin to tendon or the the meat that falls off the bone after a slow cook. Apologies to our veg- friends for that descriptiveness.