Guest Post: King Oyster Mushrooms on Toast by Living Lou

We’ve got a guest in our kitchen! Louisa of Living Lou is back to share her new-found love for the king oyster mushroom. She serves up this unique mushroom in a simple way that’ll have you re-thinking your favourite variety too!!

I’m so excited to be back on the Mushrooms Canada blog with this delicious recipe that uses my new favourite mushroom: the king oyster mushroom. My name is Louisa Clements and I’m the food-enthusiast, writer, recipe developer and photographer from LivingLou.com.

Have you ever taken a look at all the mushroom varieties available in the grocery store and realized that you have no clue what to do with half of them? That’s what happened the first time I picked up a tray of sliced king oyster mushrooms. So, I started out by doing what I always do with mushrooms, sautéing them in a ton of butter. I find that it really is the best way to get an idea of the flavor and texture.

What did I learn about king oyster mushrooms from this experiment? They stay pretty firm when cooked, they caramelize beautifully in the pan, and they have a delicate taste. So I did the next best thing, I put an egg on it!

This recipe is a showstopper, and uses a few simple ingredients that really heighten the flavor of the king oyster mushrooms: butter, garlic and arugula.

King Oyster Mushrooms on Toast (serves 4)

Ingredients
12” ciabatta loaf, halved and cut into four 6” pieces
¼ cup + 2 tbsp salted butter, divided
1 garlic clove
1 200g package sliced king oyster mushrooms
1 cup packed arugula
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp butter with garlic. Spread evenly on pieces of ciabatta. Toast under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, watching carefully.
2. In a extra-large pan, melt remaining ¼ cup butter over medium-high heat. When butter starts to bubble, add mushrooms in a single layer. Cook until golden and lightly browned, 3-5 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
3. Turn down the heat to medium, and in the same pan you cooked the mushrooms, fry the eggs. Cover after about a minute, and cook until whites are set, another 3-4 minutes.
4. Divide arugula between pieces of toasted bread, top with mushrooms and a fried egg.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.