Wild mushrooms are available near you, no foraging required

As much as I love hunting wild mushrooms in the spring, I'm equally delighted to find cultivated wild mushrooms in our stores. It may sound like an oxymoron, but farmed wild mushrooms are as tasty as their woodsy cousins. Plus, they're 100% safe.

Though we think of mushrooms as vegetables, they're categorized as neither plant nor animal. They're technically a fungus, a delicious and nutritious one at that. They're a good source of protein, all of the B vitamins and potassium, and they're the only non-animal food that contains vitamin D. Plus, they're low in calories and high in fiber.

To store mushrooms, remove them from their packaging and put them in a paper bag with the top open to help absorb moisture and to keep them from spoiling. Store them in the crisper compartment of the refrigerator.

Please don't rinse mushrooms. Rather, brush off the dirt with a paper towel; mushrooms are sponges and soak up liquid that takes a long time to cook off. There is no mystery to cooking mushrooms. Simply brown them in butter or oil until they're dark and sticky. This caramelization adds depth and color, especially when using a mix of cremini, shiitake and funky maitake for texture and a wallop of umami. It's the elusive "meatiness" that makes mushrooms a wonderful alternative to meat. I like to stir a little tomato paste into the sauté to enrich the sauce.

You don't have to spend the day in the woods hunting the ingredients for this hearty stew. Serve it on pasta or polenta. A crisp green salad wouldn't hurt. And don't forget hunks of dark, crusty bread to mop up all the goodness of this homey spring dish.

Mushrooms Stew

Serves 4 to 6.

Use a mix of as many mushrooms as you can find. Just be sure to sauté them until very dark and sticky. Serve over pasta, polenta or with a loaf of crusty bread. From Beth Dooley.

• 2 lb. cultivated wild and domestic mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, oyster, lion's mane, chestnut, etc.)

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, smashed

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• 1 tbsp. tomato paste

• 1/2 c. halved cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 c. white wine

• 1/2 c. vegetable or chicken stock, more as needed

• 1/4 c. chopped parsley

Directions

Brush the dirt from the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or cloth. Trim off the tough stems and slice the mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick.

Melt the butter in a wide skillet set over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the mushrooms, and toss with the butter. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add the onion and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add the thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the onions become tender and the mushrooms are dark and begin to stick to the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until browned, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and then stir in the wine and stock, scraping up any browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and simmer until liquid has thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the chopped parsley.

Need a mushroom source?

Thanks to these local companies, just because you're not a forager doesn't mean you can't enjoy wild mushrooms.

Forest Mushrooms: This family-run farm outside of St. Joseph has been growing oyster, shiitake and other specialty mushrooms since 1985. Find them in local grocery stores, or buy dried online right from the source. forestmushrooms.com

R & R Cultivation: The urban farm in New Hope run by two friends started small in 2018 and quickly grew in scale and size. Available in many metro-area grocery stores and co-ops, as well as on the menu of local restaurants. Varieties include maitake, black pearl, chestnut, lion's mane, oyster and more. rrcultivation.com

Northwoods Mushrooms: What started as a small urban farm in the Twin Cities farm is now an expansive farm in Clayton, Wis. Find them at local co-ops and markets, or preorder mushrooms and pick them up at the Mill City Farmers Market. Varieties include chestnut, oyster, black poplar, lion's mane, shiitake and more. northwoodmushrooms.com

Beth Dooley is the author of "The Perennial Kitchen." Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.