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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

Palo-Santo-Candles

Hen of the Woods Steaks

Aug 31, 2021 09:30AM ● By Alan Bergo
Hen of woods mushrooms next to grill press

Alan Bergo, ForagerChef.com

Yield: 1 serving per 4 ounces mushrooms 

4-oz pieces of hen of the woods (Grifola frondosa) mushrooms, broken into large clusters
Kosher salt
Cooking oil as needed, about ¼ cup

Clean the hens by swishing them in cool water, gently peering inside the caps to make sure they are cleaned, trimming with a paring knife as needed, then allowing to drain on paper towels.

Heat the oil in a pan or on a griddle until hot, but not smoking. Add the mushroom clump and season with salt, placing a weight—like a rock, log, crumbly wood or cinder block wrapped in foil or a pan—on top, then cook until the underside is deeply caramelized, then flip and repeat.

If the pan gets dry, add a little more oil. When both sides of the mushrooms are deeply
caramelized and browned, serve immediately, with extra finishing salt on the side.


Hen of the Woods Steaks recipe from Alan Bergo.


More Mushroom Delights

Wild mushrooms are a culinary delight, but beginning foragers should harvest with caution. The forager’s rule of thumb is to be 100 percent sure of an identification 100 percent of the time given that toxic lookalikes can exist. It’s also important to try a small amount of a mushroom the first time around, as some individuals can respond adversely to a particular species despite its general edibility.


Alan Bergo ForagerChefcom

Sicilian Chicken of the Woods

A traditional Italian preparation for chicken of the woods mushrooms, flavored with wild monarda leaves and served with charred bread rubbed with garlic. Read More » 

 

photo by Evan Sung

Warm Endive and Oyster Mushroom Salad

Tasty, elegant recipe for Warm Endive and Oyster Mushroom Salad. Read More » 

 

In-Print recipes vegan vegetarian National Content Plant Based Gluten Free September 2021
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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