Hen-of-the-Woods Tapenade
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Description
Hen-of-the-Woods (Grifola frondosa) is an autumn mushroom we love. We received our first Hen from Russ Cohen in a trade for some jellies made from foraged wild foods, after we took a walk with him last year.
Since then, we have been dreaming about the hen season. Joining the Connecticut Valley Mycological Society has taught us a lot about how to look for this beautiful polypore, such as preferred habitat, correct timing, and how to determine a desirable specimen vs. a too old or too young specimen. When cleaning the mushroom and separating the parts for drying, freezing, and eating fresh, we usually end up with a lot of very solid stems from the cores of the mushrooms. These solid cores form the base of a spread that is highly flavorful and almost meaty. We like to make a grilled cheese sandwich with a heavy layer of tapenade, or eat it just spread on crackers.
Ingredients
At a glance
Mushroom
Course
Cuisine
Style
Makes
3 c. spread
- 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
- 1 c. soy sauce
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 pound hen-of-the-woods mushroom cores, cleaned and coarsely chopped
- 1 c. sliced shallots
- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 T bread crumbs, as needed
Methods/steps
- 1. In a large bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, and black pepper. Add the chopped mushroom cores and marinate at least 2 hours.
- 2. Heat the oven to 375°F. Remove the mushroom from the marinade and add the shallots and garlic. Spread the marinated mushroom onto an oiled sheetpan and roast for 30 minutes, until tender and browned. Cool.
- 3. Now remove the shallots and garlic from the marinade and place on another sheetpan. Roast for 20 minutes until tender.
- 4. In a food processor, pulse the shallots and garlic until chopped finely. Add the roasted mushroom and pulse until a chunky paste forms. Up to 4 T of bread crumbs may need to be added to absorb extra moisture to make the tapenade spreadable.
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