Tricholoma Magnivelare

Tricholoma magnivelare, also called American matsutake or pine mushroom, is an edible gilled mushroom that grows in the coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and has a symbiotic relation with pine trees of this region.  The mushroom is also exported to Asia where it is much prized and sold at a premium price. It can be used as an ingredient in a range of rice, meat and seafood dishes. It has a complex fruity yet spicy and subtle aroma that is much prized.

Culinary Uses

Tricholoma magnivelare can be used in sliced or shredded form for different culinary preparations. They need to be freed of debris by brushing and if required, by rinsing with water before cooking. They can be cooked along with rice or meats, or prepared into flavorful dishes in combination with thick sauces or in soups.

Popular Cooking Methods

Matsutake mushrooms can be cooked by steaming, grilling, frying, boiling or various other ways as well.

Popular Tricholoma Magnivelare Recipes

• Matsutake Seafood Parcels: This is a grilled seafood dish consisting of ingredients like Tricholoma magnivelare mushrooms, shrimp, butter, green onions, sherry and seasonings. It is a typical campfire dish made by grilling the ingredients together.

• Stuffed Matsutakes: The mushrooms can be stuffed with a mixture of bread crumbs, rosemary and pine nuts.

• Matsutake Gohan: This is a Japanese rice dish made by cooking together shredded matsutake mushrooms along with rice and ingredients like abura age, sake and soy sauce in a rice cooker.

• Matsutake Dobin Mushi: This is another traditional Japanese dish made by steaming. It consists of sliced mushrooms, sliced chicken or fish and dashi stock.

Nutritional Information

Matsutake mushrooms make for a low-calorie, low-sodium, no-fat and no-cholesterol ingredient to be included in various flavorful dishes, hence, assisting in weight loss and promoting good health as it is also a rich source of various nutrients.

Trivia

• Mushroom hunting is a popular activity amongst people of British Columbia, who hunt for Tricholoma magnivelare mushrooms along deer trails under pine trees.
• Amanita smithiana is a poisonous mushroom which is sometimes mistaken for Tricholoma magnivelare.