Hey there, fellow foraging enthusiasts! I’ve been cooking wild mushrooms for years, and today I’m super excited to share my experience with one of nature’s most interesting fungi – the Shrimp of the Woods (Entoloma abortivum). Trust me, even if you’re new to foraging, this mushroom is worth your attention!
What Exactly is Shrimp of the Woods?
Before we dive into cooking, let me tell ya what makes this mushroom special. Shrimp of the Woods is actually a fascinating parasitic relationship between two mushrooms
- The Honey Mushroom (Armillaria mellea)
- The Entoloma mushroom
When these two meet up in nature they create these weird-looking lumpy white masses that have a texture surprisingly similar to shrimp! Cool, right?
Finding and Identifying Your Mushrooms
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: I can’t stress this enough – never eat any wild mushroom unless you’re 100% sure of what it is. If you’re new to this, please go with an experienced forager first!
Best time to find them:
- Early to mid-fall
- After some rain
- In hardwood forests
- Often near dead trees or stumps
My Tried-and-True Cooking Method
Step 1: Cleaning
- Cut off the dirty bottom parts
- Give them a quick rinse in cold water
- Don’t soak them (they’re like little sponges!)
Step 2: Basic Preparation
- Slice into bite-sized pieces
- Heat up a pan (no oil yet!)
- Add mushrooms and cover
- Let them release their natural water
- Once water evaporates, add a bit of olive oil
Step 3: The Actual Cooking
Here’s my favorite simple recipe
Ingredients:
- Cleaned and sliced Shrimp of the Woods mushrooms
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 fresh tomatoes, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Your favorite herbs (I use basil, thyme, rosemary)
- Optional: red pepper flakes for heat
Instructions:
- Brown the mushrooms in a pan (about 8-10 mins)
- Add olive oil when natural moisture evaporates
- Toss in diced tomatoes and garlic
- Season with your herbs and spices
- Cook for another 5 minutes
- Top with some freshly grated Parmesan if you’re feeling fancy!
Creative Ways to Use Your Cooked Mushrooms
- Pasta Topping: Honestly, this is my fave way to eat them
- Rice Bowl Addition: Makes a great protein substitute
- Toast Topper: Breakfast of champions!
- Side Dish: Goes great with pretty much any main course
Pro Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
- Don’t overcrowd the pan – these guys need space to brown properly
- Season gradually – you can always add more, but ya can’t take it away
- Try different spice combinations – these mushrooms are pretty versatile
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge (they’ll last about 3-4 days)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Soaking them too long during cleaning
- Adding oil too early in the cooking process
- Not letting them brown properly
- Overseasoning before tasting
Why I Love Cooking with Shrimp of the Woods
These mushrooms are pretty amazing because:
- They’re free if you can forage them
- They’re super nutritious
- They’ve got a unique texture
- They’re versatile in cooking
- They freeze well for later use
Final Thoughts
I gotta say, cooking Shrimp of the Woods has become one of my favorite fall activities. There’s something really special about foraging your own food and turning it into a delicious meal. Just remember to always be 100% sure about your identification, and when in doubt, check with an expert!
Stay safe and happy foraging!
Disclaimer: While I love foraging and cooking wild mushrooms, please remember that some mushrooms can be dangerous or even fatal if misidentified. Always consult with experienced foragers or mycologists when learning to identify new species.
All About Shrimp of the Woods
Describing shrimp of the woods as an edible species is a little complicated. It’s actually easy to identify, but understanding what you are foraging is more involved. Entoloma abortivum represents two significantly different-looking forms. In its “normal” mushroom form, it is a rather bland, unremarkable, grayish-gilled mushroom. It easily blends in with dozens of other species in the woods.
However, when Entoloma abortivum encounters another common, gilled mushroom, the honey mushroom, a bizarre transformation takes place. Entoloma abortivum infects the honey mushroom mycelium. Then, when the honey mushroom fruits, it comes out as a wildly distorted knobby white clump, looking nothing like a honey mushroom at all. This is the second form of the Entoloma.
This white bumpy, parasitized, and malformed honey mushroom is called shrimp of the woods, which is what foragers seek out in the woods. In guidebooks, you may find this species listed under Armillaria or Entoloma.
Shrimp of the woods has a long, misunderstood history. And it’s still not 100% clear. For over a hundred years, experts believed the lumpy white masses they found in the forest were Entoloma abortivum specimens that didn’t develop properly or were ” self-aborted” during growth. While foragers and mycologists noticed that Armillaria species were often nearby the aborted entolomas, they did not make a connection between the two.
A study in 1971 by Watling discovered there were Armillaria cells present in the tissue of the aborted Entoloma bodies. This led him to conclude that the Armillaria were parasitizing the Entoloma. To many mycologists, this was a plausible conclusion because Armillaria species are well known to be pathogens of other species.
For decades, this was the widely accepted explanation, even though there wasn’t any clear study verifying it. Then, a study done in 2001 determined that it was the exact opposite. The Entoloma was, in fact, the aggressor, and the Armillaria the victim. This study suggested that the lumpy white parasitized clumps should retain the aggressor’s name, Entoloma abortivum. Though, it might be more accurate to call it aborted Armillaria?
Now, after all this discussion, it is important to note that many foragers and experts report finding the aborted Entoloma specimens growing where there are no Armillaria species present. It could be that the honey mushroom mycelium is all underground, without any natural fruiting bodies visible. Regardless, this calls into question the exact relationship and what an Entoloma abortivum needs in order to unleash its parasitization nature.
In addition, Entoloma abortivum doesn’t just parasitize one species of Armillaria; it seems to be happy to parasitize a number of honey mushroom species. And, it seems to be opportunistic, infecting honey mushrooms when it has the chance but otherwise operating as a decomposer of decaying forest litter. That it can be adaptable and strategic is for sure an evolutionary tactic for this parasitic species. There still needs to be more study on this species, though, to fully understand how the two species interact and exactly how the parasitization works.
The gilled form and aborted forms of the Entoloma abortivum are both edible. Foraging the aborted form, the shrimp of the woods, is pretty easy as nothing else looks like it. The gilled version, though, needs to be gathered with caution. It resembles quite a few other Entoloma species, some of which are toxic or inedible. The unaborted form also isn’t regarded as much of a culinary delicacy, even though it is edible. Most people only forage the white, lumpy shrimp of the woods.
It’s not uncommon to find shrimp of the woods in mid-development or underdeveloped. It’s hard to say precisely what is happening, but the parasitized honey mushroom sometimes still manages to grow a stem or form gills. This means you’ll encounter specimens that are partially lumpy white round things while also featuring parts of the gilled Armillaria. The best guess is that the parasitization process was interrupted, or the Armillaria mycelium wasn’t fully infected.
The story of Entoloma abortivum is one of many demonstrating mycoparasitism, the phenomenon of one fungus parasitizing another fungus.
Foraging Shrimp of the Woods
Because the Entoloma in its gilled form can be confused with many other species, it’s best only to forage them when you see the malformed ones nearby. When you see the white, lumpy fruitbodies on the ground, you can be pretty sure the gilled grayish mushrooms beside them are the gilled Entoloma abortivum. However, you should still double-check your identification in case a different Entoloma just happens to be fruiting right there.
Unfortunately, insects adore shrimp of the woods as much as the mushroom forager. This means finding nice specimens that aren’t bug-ridden can be challenging. Give the shrimp a little squeeze before picking; if it’s soggy or bugs fly around it, leave it be. It’s too far gone at that point. When you squeeze it, it should still be firm and feel dense. This is good eating shrimps.
Don’t forage any specimens for the table that are brown inside or mushy. The interiors should be whitish or pinkish and pretty firm. Inside will always be a bit pithy, not a completely firm interior, but it shouldn’t be spongy.
The fruiting bodies shouldn’t be cracked or split, either, as that is a sign the mushroom is past maturity or getting there. Ideal specimens look look a firm, still together, well-rounded head of garlic.
How to cook wild mushrooms Shrimp of the Woods Green Curry Thai Food แกงเขียวหวานเห็ดกุ้ง EN/TH sub
FAQ
What does shrimp of the woods taste like?
They have a real nice wild mushroomy flavor, makin’ ’em fun to cook with. I’ve made popcorn shrimp of the woods and dipped ’em in cocktail sauce. ‘Twas fire!Nov 9, 2024
What cooking method is best for shrimp?
If you prefer a crispy texture, then broiling or grilling is the best way to cook shrimp, but if you desire a softer and more delicate texture, then pan frying the shrimp is the way to go.