Fistulina hepatica is a choice edible best enjoyed raw.

Beefsteak Mushroom Nigiri

The summer mushroom season is off to a strong start in Western North Carolina, thanks to an abundance of summer rains. Chanterelles, lactarius and boletes are abound; black trumpets and early oysters are just now starting to appear.

While foraging in Pisgah National Forest, a lovely, rare Beefsteak (festulina hepatica) peeked out at me from under a dying oak tree. Last night was my first time foraging, and eating, this choice edible mushroom. 

A lucky find like this makes a seriously muddy five-mile hike worth it.

Beefsteak is a unique fungus for several reasons. It’s meaty in appearance; when sliced it appears marbled, just like meat. It bleeds; red-tinged water drips out of it when bruised or cut. Most interestingly to me, however, is that it is said to be most delicious in it’s raw form. Beefsteaks are one of just a few mushrooms that can be eaten uncooked. I sought to take advantage of this.

Sushi was a no-brainer when it came to brainstorming a dish; and I was certain I would enjoy it raw. But I began to wonder: what would it take to make the best possible Beefsteak nigiri? I prepared 5 different versions of the nigiri and put my question to the test.

• Version 1: 100% raw Beefsteak.
• Version 2: Marinating the mushroom in shoyuzuke (3:1 soy sauce and mirin) for 9 minutes; pat dry.
• Version 3: Salt cure 15 min; ice bath; pat dry.
• Version 4: Salt cure 15 min; diluted rice vinegar bath (100g vinegar, 70g water); pat dry.
• Version 5: Salt cure 15 min; diluted rice vinegar bath; marinate in undiluted rice vinegar for 20 min; pat dry.

Beautiful marbling.

First up, the totally raw mushroom sushi: Incredible! I’ve never tasted anything quite like it.  The first thing one notices is the fleshy texture and taste, followed by a long-ringing sour flavor characteristic of Beefsteak fungus. At the end, I could’ve swore I tasted tuna. 

Next, the mushroom brining in the shoyuzuke marinade: It’s good. The marinade flavor did not meld with the natural flavors of the mushroom so much as I’d hoped..It might be nice to adjust the soy sauce and mirin ratio in the future (more mirin, less soy sauce), while allowing it to marinade longer as well. Certainly has potential. 

I had high hopes for version three, a simple salt cure followed by an ice bath. I figured the salt would draw out some water from the mushroom, along with any other unwanted flavors. Results were mixed. I thought it muted the overall intensity of the natural flavors, while my wife felt that the sourness was maximized.

The next version, a salt cure followed by a diluted vinegar bath, was not memorable. In my tasting notes I wrote, “meh.” Another method that rendered the mushroom somewhat tasteless. (Or was I reaching sensory adaptation by eating my fifth or sixth piece?)

Salt curing.

Finally, a salt cure followed by a diluted vinegar bath, followed by an undiluted vinegar marinade for 20 minutes. When researching popular ways to eat Beefsteak I came across a few different sources that suggest marinating the Beefsteak in balsamic vinegar. This would naturally bring out more sourness out of the fungus. I’ll say it sure made my sushi sour. This was not the best piece of sushi I ate that night, nor the worst.

And the winner: 100% raw Beefsteak!

It felt both climactic and anti-climactic.

Part of me wanted to improve on the mushroom, but it turns out it doesn’t need any help. They say the best ingredients need the least amount of work done to them; and I’m glad I got to experience that with this rare, unique and delicious mushroom.

If you happen to forage one for yourself, I strongly encourage you to try this dish. 

Please exercise caution when foraging—never eat anything until you can ID it with 100% certainty, and make sure to cross check with experts (try a mushroom foraging group local to your area on Facebook). 

Fleshy!

Serves 5-6

You will need:

• 100g Beefsteak mushroom, cut into strips
• 300g sushi rice
• 390g water
• 125g rice vinegar
• 40g sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2” piece of kombu

Start the rice: Rinse the rice in a sieve under running water for a few minutes to remove as much starch as possible. Combine the rice and water in a pot without a lid over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, add the lid and set a timer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the seasoned vinegar: In a small pan, bring the rice vinegar, sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add the kombu. Set aside until the rice is ready.

After 15 minutes, remove the rice pot from the heat and use a fork to gently fluff the rice. Return the lid to the pot and allow the rice to steam for 5-10 minutes. Next, gently spoon the rice onto a baking sheet. Drizzle a generous 1/4 cup of seasoned vinegar over the rice and use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold the rice over onto itself until it is seasoned. Allow the rice to cool off a bit, then return the seasoned rice to the rice pot with the lid and set aside.

Form the sushi:

First, wet both your hands. At the top of the palm of your non-dominant hand, place the mushroom face-down (You’re building the sushi upside down). With your dominant hand, scoop a ping-pong size ball of rice from the pot and begin working it into an oblong oval-like shape. Place the rice shape on top of the mushroom in your other hand and gently apply pressure with your thumb. Gently flip the sushi over so that it’s right-side-up. The sushi should still rest in the crux of your non-dominant hand at the top of your palm. 

Place the thumb of your non-dominant hand gently onto of the sushi to secure the mushroom. Place the thumb and middle finger of your dominant hand around the sushi and gently compress.

Next, keeping the mushroom secure on the rice with the help of your non-dominant thumb, take the pointer finger on your dominant hand and place it onto your thumb holding the sushi. Cup the palm of your non dominant hand towards your body and cradle the sushi into shape.

Rotate the sushi 180 degrees and repeat steps one and two. Rotate and repeat steps one final time.