These are delicious mushrooms that go by several names. In America these mushrooms are usually called Hen of the Woods mushrooms. In Japan and some other Asian Countries these mushrooms are know as Maitake Mushrooms that translates to Dancing Mushroom. Also according to Wikipedia these mushrooms are known to Italian Americans as Signorina Mushrooms.

Whatever you call these mushrooms they are delicious. They are not too earthy and I don’t ever get them spongy. I think they are an easier mushroom to prepare than other mushrooms and also among the tastier ones.

Supposedly these Hen of the Woods Mushrooms contain many health benefits. Besides the mushrooms containing vitamins and minerals. In 2009 the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center discovered that the Matake Mushroom gave off an anti cancer activity in patients and the mushroom possesses anti metastatic properties.

I also read on Wikipedia that the maitake also lowers blood sugar naturally because it contains an alpha gluosidase inhibitor.

Here is an easy forking tasty way to prepare these mushrooms.

Ingredients for about 2 servings

6 oz. Hen of the Woods Mushrooms – cleaned and broken down (you just pull the mushroom strands off the small core)

3 inches fresh rosemary branch – herb pulled off stem and chopped

1 garlic clove smashed or grounded up – made into a paste

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano

fresh ground sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Set your oven to 300 degrees. You need a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. In a medium/large bowl add mushrooms, rosemary, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and one of the two tablespoons of cheese and mix well. Spread evenly on your parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and now place in your oven. In my oven the mushrooms took 40 minutes to crisp up. Your results can differ because your mushroom might be thinner or thicker than the mushroom I had. Once the mushroom came out of the oven I sprinkled them with fresh ground sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

These mushrooms are Forking delicious!