Description
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Golden oyster mushrooms grow in small to medium-sized clumps, sometimes referred to as bouquets and are comprised of many layers of tightly packed mushrooms growing from a single base attached to a tree. The overlapping caps average 2 to 6 centimetres in diameter and change in appearance, depending on age. Young Golden oyster mushrooms have a flat, plump, smooth, and taut cap with a small indentation in the centre and curled edges. As the mushrooms age, they begin to uncurl and open, developing a funnel-like shape around the indentation.
The caps have a curved, semi-circular nature with a velvety, dry, delicate, easily bruised surface. The caps also showcase a pale to saturated, golden-yellow hue, varying with temperature. Underneath the caps, cylindrical white stems range from 2 to 5 centimetres in length and are curved to bent due to their overlapping positioning in the mushroom bouquet. There are also white to ivory gills that extend slightly down the stem and these gills are widely spaced and have a white spore print.
Raw Golden oyster mushrooms easily break apart due to their fragile nature and the caps have a spongy texture and a bitter, unpalatable flavour. The mushrooms also have a light and fresh scent that some consumers say smells like watermelon. When cooked, Golden oyster mushrooms develop a fleshy, tender and pleasantly chewy consistency, release a fruity aroma reminiscent of aged red wine and have a mild, nutty and sweet taste with cashew-like nuances to citrus or cinnamon-like undertones, depending on the mushroom’s growing environment.
Golden oyster mushrooms are preferred for cooked preparations as they develop a tender, chewy nature. When raw, the mushrooms have a bitter, unpleasant taste, but when cooked, the bitterness subsides and transitions into a mild, subtly nutty, and earthy flavour. Golden oyster mushrooms should be gently cleaned with a brush or damp towel and the stems may be quite bitter to some individuals, in which case they should be removed and discarded.
Once prepped, Golden oyster mushrooms are popularly added to stir-fries, sauteed with butter until crisp or simmered into sauces. It is important to note that their yellow colouring generally disappears, depending on the preparation and cooking time, but when fried into tempura, the golden yellow hue is maintained. The mushrooms can also be cooked and served with braised meats, mixed into rice and noodle dishes, incorporated into frittatas, served on toast or added as a pizza topping.
In Japan, Golden oyster mushrooms are traditionally added to dashi and soup stocks to build layers of umami to the liquid. Golden oyster mushrooms also become crisp and can be crumbled over dishes as a substitute for bacon. Golden oyster mushrooms pair well with meats such as poultry, steak, pork, seafood, herbs (including cilantro) thyme, parsley, rosemary and tarragon. Aromatics such as garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, Bok choy, potatoes, citrus and coconut milk.
Whole, unwashed Golden oyster mushrooms have a short shelf life and should be used immediately for the best quality and flavour. The mushrooms cannot withstand excessive handling and will only keep for a few days when stored in the refrigerator between paper towels in a paper bag.
