Blackened Lion's Mane Mushroom

I love Yamabushitake (山伏茸) aka Lion's Mane Mushrooms are superior in their cooking possibilities and healing properties. I found influence for this recipe from blackened chicken/tofu. The marinade is a combination of spices, olive oil, soy sauce, and maple syrup. When you slightly boil these gorgeous mushrooms in sauce, the texture is almost identical to meat while soaking up tons of flavor. Here is a simple 30 minute recipe to turn your mushrooms into meat.

INGREDIENTS:

Cook time: 30 minutes | Makes: 2 servings

  • 1 heaping handful of Lion’s Mane mushroom (~1 lb)

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1/4 cup of water

  • 1 tbsp maple syrup, honey, or agave

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil

  • 1 tsp garlic and cumin powder

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon, cloves, allspice, paprika, and ginger powder

  • 1/4 tsp of salt and a crack of black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Shred the mushroom into bite sized pieces and place in a container.

  2. Mix all remaining ingredients together into a bowl and pour it over the mushrooms. Cover the container and shake to evenly coat. Allow the mushrooms to sit in the marinade for 10-20 minutes.

  3. On a cast iron skillet at high heat, lay your marinated mushrooms evenly. Place another pan on top, ideally another cast iron but a regular nonstick pan will suffice. Use your hand to press down gently on the mushrooms to allow the sauce to cook through and give the mushrooms a crispy outside texture. Allow this to cook for 5 minutes before flipping the mushrooms and repeating until they are lightly charred on each side.

  4. Remove from heat and enjoy immediately. I suggest eating them with an egg and some type of carb, some sautéed greens, and/or a pickled vegetable for the acidic balance of flavor.

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