Sophia Roe’s Wasabi Sheet Pan Mushrooms with Green Olive Relish

No, it’s not in your head, mushrooms really are everywhere right now. A simple scroll through Instagram is all it takes to be completely whisked into the land of foraged fungi. If your feed isn’t filled with baskets of golden chanterelles, puffballs the size of small dogs, or your favorite creator trying their hand at an oyster mushroom grow kit, then who are you even following?! Just kidding.

It must be said, however, that this seemingly new obsession with mushrooms is pretty exciting, particularly for the scientists, teachers, and mycological experts who have dedicated their lives to opening and expanding people’s minds to the powers of fungi.

Gone are the days when our only exposure to mushrooms was a can of cream of mushroom soup that your mom smothered your green beans with. While many Asian and indigenous cultures have been utilizing the power of fungi for centuries, mushrooms have only just now become mainstream in the United States. Films like Fantastic Fungi and books such as Entangled Life are making fungi more accessible while teaching us how incredibly important they are for the planet. It only makes sense that people would want to learn more.

I could very well go on and on about fungi’s continuous contributions to the planet, how the way we utilize fungi could help save the planet from climate change. Did you know that there are a few types of fungi that eat plastic? Or that there are some mushrooms that glow in the dark? (Looking at you, Panellus stipticus.) Or that some mushrooms actually taste sweeter than maple syrup? Candy cap mushrooms are so sweet you can use them in dessert! (Yes, dessert fungi is a thing!

What I want to talk about first and foremost is how to properly clean the mushrooms you find because it seems there is a lot of confusion on the topic. Do you simply wipe mushrooms off? Is it actually okay to rinse them? Should you completely submerge them in water? How do you know if they are actually clean or not? These are all valid questions, and I am here to help.

The first thing to take into consideration is where you’re getting your mushrooms from. If you’re buying conventional mushrooms from your local grocery store, a simple wipe down with a dishcloth or damp paper towel should definitely do the job.

If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some wild mushrooms that aren’t commercially cultivated, you may need to get some water involved in the cleaning process. Think of it more like giving your wild mushrooms a shower, not a bath. Lightly rinse your mushrooms off, and then make sure to lay them out to dry on a paper towel or cloth. The process may take an hour or two, but in the end, you’ll have beautifully clean and dry wild mushrooms ready to be cooked.

If your friend who is just getting into mushrooms brings you a big basket of mushrooms she found in the woods before you even consider washing make plenty sure that you know exactly what sort of mushrooms they are. There have been some cases of mycologists misidentifying mushrooms, so make sure you’re absolutely certain of the species before consuming.

Once you know for sure that a mushroom you find in nature is, in fact, edible, you’ll want to cleanly cut the mushroom by the root, and wipe off any visible dirt with a cloth or brush. I’d also recommend taking photographs to show your local mycologist to triple-check for proper identification.

Even if you’re not as lucky in the foraging wild mushroom department, remember when you’re purchasing mushrooms from a store or market that they should be firm and dense. If they’re super wrinkly, slimy, or covered in mold, it’s best to avoid purchasing. I also recommend only buying mushrooms up to one day before you plan on using them. You can store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. You should never freeze fresh mushrooms, however, sautéed or properly dried mushrooms can definitely be frozen.

In the end, there’s much to discuss when it comes to the exciting world of fungi. It was actually pretty hard for me to decide what I wanted to talk about first, as mushrooms really are my favorite thing in the world. Ultimately, I landed on some practical advice, because whether you’ve loved mushrooms since you were a kid, or you’re just getting acclimated with cooking with mushrooms, one thing’s for sure...life’s too short to be eating gritty mushrooms.

When roasting, I love to use two sheet pans. One of the pans I’ll cook at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time, and the other at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. It’s a great way to create different textures in the same dish with minimal fuss. I did that here with the mushrooms. I cooked a small batch simply tossed in olive oil at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, while I cooked the larger batch with wasabi butter at 350 for 30 minutes. You don’t need to do it, but it does add a special zing to your dish.

Fills one large pan

For the wasabi mushrooms:

For the green olive relish:

Influential chef, writer, storyteller, and Emmy-Award nominated TV host, Sophia Roe, is best known for her inclusivity and minimalist approach to plant-based cooking.

By being authentic and relatable, Roe has built a large following of fans on Instagram (over 350K followers) and has expanded her audience on YouTube, Roe is a unique blend of glamor and relatable authenticity.

She was one of the 10 up-and-coming chefs to cook for the 2021 Met Gala hosted by Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour. Roe, a Brooklyn resident, spends most of her time writing, filming, and working on her new podcast.