An essential pantry staple our food editors swear by is dried mushrooms, for everything from easy pasta dishes to complex- in-flavor/simple-in- execution broths.
HOW ARE DRIED MUSHROOMS DIFFERENT FROM FRESH?
The flavor of a dried mushroom is slightly more concentrated than the fresh kind. It’s what makes them spectacular for adding depth to broths, stews, and soups. Morels, specifically, can be dustier and grittier when dry. We recommend straining them through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh sieve, otherwise their dust may wind up in the broth.
OKAY, SO HOW CAN I USE THEM?
Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and fill the bowl with hot water, then soak the dried mushrooms in that water until it comes to room temperature. This process helps leach as much mushroom flavor as possible. The traditional use for rehydrated porcini mushrooms is risotto, but we swear by dried shiitakes for almost anything. On a weeknight add a few to water or chicken stock and serve with ramen noodles. You can even finely grate them when they’re still dehydrated using a Microplane, then serve them over fresh egg salad.
HOW DO I STORE THEM?
Keep them in a resealable plastic bag or, preferably, an airtight container, in a dark, dry place like the back of your cupboard or even your freezer.
