Enoki Mushroom

Besides having a cute name, I picked these mushrooms from an Asian store because they were on sale -- just a dollar a pack! We were out of town for the holidays so these mushrooms had to hang out for two weeks in the fridge.

I didn't know what to do with them so I looked them up online. I learned that these thin-stemmed mushrooms are at their best when they look very white and not at all slimy. Well, since I had them sitting in the fridge for a long time, not to mention that they could have been stale (that's why they're on sale, hehe!) they do not look as firm and as fresh as they should be. That's why I chose to broil and marinate them instead of adding them fresh in a salad or in hot soup.

Below is a recipe taken from this website:

Broiled Marinated Enoki Mushrooms

1 package (3-4 oz.) enoki mushrooms
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon mirin
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Rinse the enoki. Cut off the roots. Roughly separate the stems. Broil a few minutes just until soft. Mix water, mirin, and soy sauce in a bowl. Stir the broiled enoki into this mixture. Let sit for five minutes. Serve in small individual dishes as an accompaniment to your meal.

I am still glad to have tried these for my pleasure and education. I have learned that they have a mild taste and they very well absorb the savory soy sauce. If there's a spectrum of flavor for mushrooms... Enoki would be at the end with the lowest flavor, while Shiitake mushrooms would be on the far side with the most flavor. Do I make sense? I hope I do.