A few recipes may come to mind for many of us when we think about cooking with mushrooms. Of course, a popular use for mushrooms in the kitchen serves as pizza toppings, but today, I will tell you all about Magical Mushrooms: Lion’s Mane and how to prepare it for your meals.
As I delve further into the beautiful family of plants and culinary ingredients, I am fascinated by mushrooms’ medicinal and culinary properties.
Colorful, magical, mysterious – mushrooms have had a vast array of uses for humankind: as a culinary ingredient, consciousness alteration (1), and even fighting pollution (2). In fact, mushrooms have so fascinated us as humans that we have developed theories of how mushrooms may have played a part in our evolution: see the “Stoned Ape Theory” (3). They also have a huge presence in our pop culture–I’m thinking of the latest Star Trek Discovery (4) episode where engineer Paul Statements travels through the stars employing interstellar mycelium.
What are Mushrooms?
A mushroom is a reproductive structure produced by fungi. Fungi have evolved in all kinds of extraordinary shapes and forms. There are more than 75,000 fungi species worldwide, and the list keeps growing. Fungi can be edible, poisonous, and magical.
The fungi species is not a plant nor an animal. Instead, fungi fall under the opisthokonts– a group of organisms that include both animals and fungus. The idea is that animals and fungi had a common ancestor at some point but evolved on separate paths.
Fungi are made up of microscopically thin, tube-like hyphae. When they clump up together, these hyphae can often be seen as cobweb-like threads in damp leaf litter, compost, or moldy food. Fungi eat by absorbing food through their hyphae walls, mostly in the form of simple sugars and amino acids. If these are not available, they can extract them from more complex substances by secreting enzymes. Animals, including humans, use similar enzymes in the stomach to digest food (5).
Lion’s Mane
Today, I’d like to introduce one of my newly discovered friendly species of mushrooms called Lion’s Mane. I take Lion’s Mane in a pill form, powder mixed with high-fat plant milk, or cook it in a non-stick pan or air fryer. Lion’s Mane is great for your health, and it is under examination for a range of medicinal properties, from cancer inhibition to enhancing the immune system. When I consume Lion’s Mane, I feel a boost in concentration and energy. It may affect everyone differently, so I suggest you try it yourself to see the results. Other than that, it makes a tasty addition to many recipes. For the best results, I recommend buying certified organic mushrooms that are grown locally.
Where to Find Lion’s Mane
Lion Mane belongs to the Hericiacase family and resides in broadleaf woodland. It usually grows on older beech, maple, oak, and fallen logs. It forms a spectacular whitish cushion of tiered clusters of pendant spines or teeth, which can be as long as 3 in (80 mm) and look like a beard or Mane. The fruit body is soft and white when young, sometimes with flesh-colored tints that become yellowish and then dirty brown when with age or bruised.
Lion’s Mane is rare and can be pricy. A small container in whole foods goes for six bucks. Yet, it is super filling and has a delicious, sweet taste.
Cooking with Lion’s Mane
Pan Fried:
- Remove any dirt from the lion’s mane
- Cut the mushroom into if necessary
- Heat the pan for about 1 minute
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil
- Place the cut pieces in a pan and press (you can use another pan)
- Preheat the air fryer.
- Remove any dirt and cut the mushroom to the desired size.
- Place the cut pieces in the fryer.
- Cook for 5 minutes using the shrimp setting (370 degrees). Keep shaking and checking every few minutes until they are cooked to your liking.
Lion’s Mane pairs nicely with many dishes, from nut dressing and salad and my favorite, sushi rolls.
A Few Tasty Lion’s Mane Recipes:
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| Lion’s Mane Bowl | Vegan Lion’s Mane Mushroom Sushi | Lion’s Mane Tacos |
References:
(1) Johns Hopkins Scientists Center For Psychedelic Research says Psychedelic Mushrooms could treat Alzheimer’s, depression, and addiction.
(2) Paul Stamets, an American mycologist, has been working for years using mycelium to clean up various waste sites.
(3) Stoned Ape Theory – our ancestors found and consumed psychedelic mushrooms to help in gaining consciousness – defined by Terence McKenna.
(4) In the Star Trek Discovery show, protagonist Paul Stamets (a character based on the real scientist) is an engineer who translates real-world mycological science into science-fiction concepts. Stamets believes spores and mycelia organize the Universe as the “building blocks of energy across the universe.”
(5) The Book of Fungi: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from Around the World – If you are interested in the subject of Fungi, get that book! It includes fantastic, well-written text and supportive data on many mushroom species.
Disclaimer:
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn minimal fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Anna Sheinman. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from my own research and experience. I encourage you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
