Ingredient Spotlight: Enoki Mushrooms

These long, thin mushrooms with tiny caps are commonly found in Asian dishes, particularly Japanese dishes like nabemono and sukiyaki. Easily cultivated, they are grown and packaged in clusters, have a very crisp texture, and can keep for a week in the fridge.

Pick mushrooms that are firm and white; reject any enoki that are discolored or slimy. Store them in a paper bag. When ready to use, pick apart what you need from the main cluster and trim off the woody parts of the stems. Give them a brief rinsing under cold running water.

Enoki are traditionally used in soups and stir fries, but are sometimes used in salads. Their flavor is mild and somewhat fruity.

Related:

Ingredient Spotlight: Buna-Shimeji Mushrooms

Ingredient Spotlight: Shiitake Mushrooms

(Image: Kathryn Hill)