What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Coral Tooth Fungus or Comb Coral Mushroom:
Where does Coral Tooth Mushroom Grow
Coral Tooth Fungus (Hericium coralloides) is by far the most common of the three Hericiums I have talked about. It is found in late summer and fall in deciduous woodlands and forests. It obtains its nutrients from dead wood (which is described as saprobic). It grows alone or in groups on fallen logs, branches, and dead stumps of hardwood trees.
How To Identify Coral Tooth
When it is young, the fruiting body or a Coral Tooth is knobby and toothless, and it cannot be distinguished from other Hericium species. As it gets older, it is a loose, openly branched, irregularly-shaped, 3″ to 13 ¾″ wide, 2⅜″ to 6¾″ high cluster of delicate branches rising from a tough, repeatedly branched base.
It is white when fresh, becoming creamy-white to buff or yellowish-tan as it gets older.. The branches are themselves again intricately branched and have rows of evenly-spaced spines, like the teeth of a comb.
The spines are the spore-producing structures of this fungus, They are ⅛″ to ⅜″ long and hang downward. Sometimes a small tuft of spines at the tip of a branch may have spines up to 1″ long.
Storing Coral Tooth Mushroom
The mushrooms need to be thoroughly washed as dirt can get lodged among the branches and between the small points at the tip of each stalk. To wash, they should be pulled apart into pieces and agitated in a bowl of water. then removed and put them on a clean towel. If the mushrooms have dried out at all, it can be impossible to completely remove the dirt so at that point its up to you to decide how clean you want them, some people use a brush to clean, some people use the force of running water, I have to say if it doesn't come off and its minuscule then I just eat it as well in my cooking..hasn't killed me yet..but that's just me. Do what feels right for you :)
Can You Eat Coral Tooth Mushroom?
Absolutely YES! The species is edible and good when young, but as it ages the branches and hanging spines become brittle and turn a light shade of yellowish brown which can make it either stringy or crumbly depending on the heat and moisture it is growing in.
The mushrooms can be cooked and served in dishes like risotto, pasta, or soup.
For protein intake you can dehydrate it and turn to flour to mix into a smoothie or it can be dipped in batter and fried or also be added to soup, stew, or gravy.
Cooking with Coral Tooth Mushroom:
TEMPURA CORAL TOOTH WITH CHIVE BLOSSOM AIOLI
200 g Coral Tooth (or mushroom of your choice!) pulled into bite size pieces
½ cup white rice flour
¼ cup cold sparkling water (based on consistency)
¼ tsp salt
Pinch of baking soda
2 cups of light frying oil
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander, not necessary if you cant get a hold of it.
Chive Blossom Aioli Sauce
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh chopped chives (blossoms pieced apart)
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Chive Blossom Aioli:
Combine all ingredients well (except blossoms) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before use.
Tempura Mushrooms
Heat oil in a deep pot/pan over medium heat. Bring oil to 175°C (350°F), checking with a thermometer. Otherwise you can test if the oil is hot enough by dipping the end of a wooden spoon or chopstick into the oil. It will bubble if the oil is hot enough!
In a mixing bowl, whisk together sparkling water, rice flour, salt and baking soda. Option to add herbs like chives, coriander, green onions, even finely sliced chilli, if you dare!
Gently dip individual mushrooms into batter one at a time, place immediately into pot/pan and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Place no more than 3-4 mushrooms in at any one time to maintain an even temperature for the oil.
Once perfectly crispy, transfer on to paper towel to remove any excess oil and repeat with remaining mushrooms!
Sprinkle chive blossoms over aioli and serve. Best served immediately for ultimate crispiness!
Recipe found on Ruby Creek, Thank you!
Photo courtesy of an article in Forager Chef thank you!