Until you make the switch to being vegan, a mushroom is probably just a mushroom. The truth is there are so many varieties of mushrooms out there, each with a unique consistency & taste.

King Oyster mushrooms are up there with one of the best out there. You can get hold of them in most supermarkets now and they can be used in so many ways. They have a tougher, meat like consistency compared to your ordinary button mushrooms. Along with this dish, they also make incredible vegan scallops – check out the recipe here.

A few other mushrooms that are worth picking up and trying are lions mane, enoki and oyster.

I’ve used King Oyster mushrooms here with a balsamic glaze, that goes amazing with an Italian pasta, Risotto or spaghetti. The trick with mushrooms is to score them making crevices that will just soak in all of the flavour. You can get as artistic as you like with the scoring, just make sure not to cut all the way through!

INGREDIENTS

• King Oyster Mushroom
• Garlic
• Sea salt
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Maple syrup

HOW TO MAKE IT

1) start by slicing your mushrooms into slices roughly 0.5-1cm thick.

2) score the mushrooms slightly on both sides. I carve a criss-cross pattern for effect but you can really carve anything you like.

3) crush your garlic and combine with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, sea salt and maple syrup. Coat your mushrooms in the mix and marinade for around 30 minutes.

4) on a high heat in an oiled pan, fry each side of your mushroom for a couple of minutes.

5) season with extra salt and a squeeze of lemon.