As we await more abundant spring produce, one veggie (or fungi, rather) you’ll be able to find year-round are mushrooms! Local mushroom growers and cultivators are plentiful at spring markets and you can find a variety of fungi to add to your cooking this week, including oysters, shiitake, lion’s mane, chestnut, maybe even notorious wild-foraged and short-season morels!
Mushrooms are one of those foods that you can easily incorporate into everyday meals (fried rice, ramen, risotto, pasta, soup, or an omelet). You can find mushrooms from vendors like Black Trumpet Farm (North Asheville and River Arts District markets) and Forest Farmacy (Asheville City and West Asheville markets). As it is morel season right now, you may find wild-foraged morels from Wild Goods (Asheville City, West Asheville, River Arts District, and East Asheville markets). Some produce farmers, like New Roots Market Garden (North Asheville Tailgate Market) and Thatchmore Farm (North Asheville and West Asheville markets) will have shiitakes available periodically throughout the year depending on their inoculated mushroom log flushes.
Shiitake mushrooms have maintained their popularity for a reason! These mushrooms have an earthy, smoky flavor paired with a meaty texture that makes them a perfect addition of umami for any recipe. This delicious, easy, and creamy shiitake mushroom risotto will make the stir time worth it. Start by heating two tablespoons of olive oil or ramp butter—Wild Goods has a variety of infused butters—in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add a pound of chopped mushrooms, stems removed, and saute for about eight minutes—you can use any type of mushroom. Remove mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Next, add two tablespoons of oil or butter and a chopped medium onion to saute until soft. You can swap the onion with other spring alliums like leeks or spring onions. If you want to use ramps, note that those are more tender and don’t need to cook as long, just about two minutes. Add any desired fresh herbs to the pan like thyme or oregano—find fresh herbs from Gaining Ground Farm at North Asheville Tailgate Market. Next, add one and a half cups of rice (arborio works best but any rice will do) and two-thirds cup of dry white wine (or broth) to deglaze the pan and increase flavor. Once the wine is cooked down, begin adding five cups of veggie or chicken broth, but only one cup at a time, stirring constantly so the rice absorbs the broth. With the last cup of broth, add your mushrooms back, salt and pepper to taste, and any other additions like peas, chopped hearty greens, or spinach. Keep stirring until the rice is tender. If you want to increase the creaminess, add some half and half, sheep yogurt from Grassroots Farm & Dairy (North Asheville and Weaverville markets), parmesan cheese, or a Darë Vegan Cheese (North Asheville Tailgate Market) garlic wedge. Serve with a side of steamed or roasted asparagus and enjoy!
Oyster mushrooms, on the other hand, have a more delicate flavor akin to that of seafood, making them a perfect vegetarian substitute for fish in recipes! Try making oyster mushroom po-boys this week for an easy and comforting lunch or dinner. Start by trimming the coarse parts of the stems of three cups worth of oyster mushrooms (though any variety of mushroom will work for this recipe). Add mushrooms to a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, rice vinegar, and a pinch of salt, then toss to coat. In a small bowl, stir together one-and-a-half tablespoons of ground flaxseeds and four tablespoons of water. In another small bowl, combine one-third cup of cornmeal, one-third cup of panko bread crumbs, two tablespoons of hemp seeds, one teaspoon of cajun seasoning, a quarter teaspoon of cayenne, and a pinch of salt. Bread the mushrooms by dipping each one into the flax mixture, then placing it into the bowl of breading, gently coating the mushrooms with the mixture. Bake the coated mushrooms in the oven at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, then remove and squeeze a bit of lemon juice over them. Assemble your po-boys by filling five-inch pieces of baguette with dijonnaise, a handful of arugula, pickles, a few sliced tomatoes, if available, then adding in the baked oyster mushrooms. Serve with a lemon wedge and enjoy! Find baguettes from Simple Bread at Asheville City, North Asheville (rotationally), and West Asheville markets.
At markets now you’ll also find kohlrabi, cabbages, potatoes, turnips, beets, radishes, carrots, spring alliums like green onions, leeks, ramps, and green garlic, a wide variety of tender and hearty greens, asparagus, the first strawberries, and more. Markets offer an abundance of farm-fresh eggs and meats, including chicken, pork, beef, and lamb. You can also get bread, cheese, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. During springtime, find annual and perennial plant starts for your gardens along with fresh flowers. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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As part of ASAP’s response to Hurricane Helene, we have reestablished Appalachian Farms Feeding Families, a dual-benefit program designed to support both farmers and the community. The program gets fresh, locally grown food to people impacted by the storm, while at the same time providing cash flow for farms that are in the process of rebuilding or have lost market outlets. Last month we announced a round of the program for early care and education centers. This month we are opening applications for restaurants to participate.
Appalachian Farms Feeding Families serves Western North Carolina restaurants with a commitment to supporting local farms. The program offers grants of up to $2,500 per restaurant to invest in local purchasing for their menus or as a staff benefit. Funds can be used to either: 1) supplement the restaurant’s local purchasing budget, or 2) purchase CSA shares/local food for their staff. For both options, payments will be made up in advance directly to the respective Appalachian Grown farm partner. Awarded restaurant applicants will facilitate ordering and delivery/pickup from their farm partner over the course of the season. Restaurants may apply here. Please contact David Smiley with any questions.
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