Maitake Mushroom Buffalo ‘Wings’
One of the best things about Maitake mushrooms is the difference in textures when cooked; chewy and ‘meaty’ on the inside and crispy and crunchy on the outside. This recipe takes full advantage of those differences by combining different cooking methods to transform the mushrooms into extra crispy Buffalo ‘Wings’. Try with a variety of sauces!
Servings: 3-4 (20-25 wings)
Ingredients
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
1 pound RI Mushroom Co. Maitake mushrooms
Vegetable or corn oil, for frying
¾ cup corn starch or potato starch
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
½ cup hot sauce of choice (Texas Pete, Frank’s Redhot, or Sriracha are great!)
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
Bleu Cheese or Ranch Dressing, for serving (optional)
Carrot sticks and celery sticks, for serving (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F. In a small bowl, combine vegetable oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Carefully break RI Mushroom Co. Maitake mushrooms into large pieces, about the size of a large chicken wing or a deck of cards. Place mushroom pieces into a large bowl and drizzle with seasoned oil, gently tossing making sure to not break up the mushrooms too much.
Spread mushroom pieces in an even layer on a sheet pan and place in the preheated oven, and par-cook, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, pour frying oil in a medium saucepot until oil is about 3 inches high. Heat to 375° F degrees. Adjust the heat as necessary.
Prepare a separate sheet pan with a cooling rack or lined with paper towels. Combine cornstarch and flour in a medium bowl. In batches, add par-cooked mushroom pieces to the starch mixture and gently dredge, making sure that the Maitake fronds are totally coated. Shake off excess and reserve.
Once the oil is up to temperature, use tongs to add a few dredged Maitake pieces to the saucepot. Don’t overcrowd the pan or the temperature will drop and they will get greasy. Fry until crispy, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove pieces from oil onto the cooling rack, and repeat the process with remaining Maitake.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, hot sauce, and cayenne (optional) until well combined. Place warm Maitake wings in a large bowl, drizzle hot sauce mixture and toss until well coated.
Serve with bleu cheese or ranch dressing, carrot sticks and celery sticks. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
If you have a lot of broken or small pieces of Maitake mushrooms after roasting, you can use the starch mixture to bind them together into a wing shape and fry like the other pieces. No waste!