Top 4 Maitake Mushroom Recipes a.k.a. Hen of the Woods Recipes

How to cook maitake mushrooms in delicious & easy ways? And what are the best maitake mushroom recipes?

4 Delicious Ways How to Prepare Maitake Mushrooms(Hen of the Woods)

If you’re lucky enough to find a wild Maitake that grows at the base of hardwood trees, you’re in for a treat! Maitake is the type of mushroom you will find the tastiest among all edible mushroom polypores!

How to Cook Maitake Mushrooms? 4 Best Maitake Mushroom Recipes

When it comes to maitake mushroom’s taste, wild ones have a rich umami flavor, earthy & aromatic with a peppery finish! However, cultivated maitake tastes milder than wild maitakes.

Indeed, maitake have been a culinary favorite mushroom among chefs and cooks at home, which is best enjoyed sautéed with a pinch of salt to appreciate its natural flavors.

Below, we curated and simplified 4 Maitake mushroom recipes from top chefs and cooks. All using ingredients you can easily find at home or from your local grocery stores.

1. Sautéed Maitake Mushroom

When cooking maitakes mushrooms, you must balance its peppery flavor with  savory and salty elements.

Ingredients

• • 225 grams, maitake, 3-inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp, oil or butter (preferably sesame oil)
  • 2 cloves, minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp, soy sauce
  • ⅛ tsp, salt (preferably kosher)
  • ⅛ tsp, hot sauce (preferably sriracha)
  • chives or green onions, for garnish

Directions

2. Fried Maitake Mushroom

If you are looking for a plant-based option of a crunchy snack or appetizer, Fried Maitake is a great choice! Also, you can customize dipping sauce by mixing spices with mayonnaise or make your own butter sauce.

Ingredients: Marinade

• • 250 grams, maitake, 3-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup, water
  • 1 tsp, curry powder
  • 1 tsp, brown sugar
  • 1 tsp, garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp, salt (preferably Himalayan)
  • 2 tbsp, cornstarch

Ingredients: Batter Coating

• • 1/2 cup, cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup, oil

3. Grilled Hen of the Woods Mushroom

Third on the list is grilled maitake—a delicious summer side dish as well as an indulging grilled entree for vegetarians.

Ingredients

• • 900 g, maitake, 8–10 similarly sized wedges
  • sesame or olive oil, for brushing
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 4 pcs, green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp, parsley or rosemary leaves, thinly sliced
  • lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. 1. Firstly, place maitake wedges on a rimmed baking sheet.
   2. Next, drizzle with oil evenly coating each wedge. Then, season with salt and pepper and let sit for 10 mins.
   3. Meanwhile, set a grill pan over high heat.
   4. Once grill pan is hot, oil the grates and place the maitakes in batches (8 mins/batch). Occasionally, turn until browned and crisp.
   5. Lastly, transfer the charred maitakes to a platter. To enhance taste, drizzle with oil then garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, parsley or rosemary. You can serve with lime wedges.

How to Cook Maitake Mushrooms: Grilled Maitake Mushrooms with Smoked Sea Salt by Greg Henry

Grilled Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms with Sesame by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

4. Pickled Hen of the Woods Mushroom

Pickling is a fantastic technique to preserve maitake if you have a lot on hand. When the mushroom florets are parboiled in the brine, they become immediately edible, and the addition of carrots and red onions adds more color and flavor.

Ingredients: Pickling Brine

• • 8 cups, water
  • 4 cups, vinegar (preferably white wine vinegar)
  • 2 cups, sugar
  • 6 tbsp, salt
  • 2 tbsp, pickling spice (cinnamon, allspice, mustard seed, bay leaves, ginger, cloves, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cardamom, mace)
  • 2 tbsp, black peppercorns
  • 3 pcs, bay leaves

Other Ingredients

• • 1.8 kg, maitake, cleaned and torn into florets
  • 1 pc, carrot, grated large
  • 1 pc, large red onion, sliced thin
  • 2-3 cups, oil (preferably avocado or olive)

Directions

1. 1. Firstly, prepare the pickling brine in a big pot and bring to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 2 more mins.
   2. Next, add the maitake florets, grated carrots, and sliced red onions. Then, bring the mixture back to a boil and cook for 2-5 mins.
   3. Turn off heat and let sit covered for 10 mins.
   4. Meanwhile, make sure the canning jars and lids are cleaned.
   5. Shortly, divide the mushrooms among jars and ladle the pickling liquid halfway up. Then, fill up the jar with oil.
   6. After that, place a towel at the bottom of a large pot and put jars inside. Fill with water and boil over medium heat for 30 mins to preserve, then, let cool.
   7. Lastly, store in a pantry or a dark place. This pickled maitakes can last up to 2 years!

How to Cook Maitake Mushrooms: Pickled Maitake by Barbora Batokova

In Summary | How to Prepare Maitake Mushrooms Recipes

Undeniably, the earthy, aromatic, and fibrous maitake is a delicous and nutritious addition to your meal! Aside from sautéing, other tasty recipes include fried, grilled, pickled, and roasted maitakes. Happy mushrooms cooking!