Cremini mushrooms are also know as ‘Baby Bella’ or ‘Baby Portobella’ mushrooms.  They are a more mature version of the typical white button mushroom (which is why they are darker, firmer, and more flavorful) but not quite as mature as the portobella mushroom.  Because of their age they are browner in color, have a firmer texture, and a richer flavor than their younger white mushroom siblings.  They are not as hearty as the portobella but also not as expensive.  Because of that, I find them to be great to use in a variety of dishes!

There is a lot of back and forth about the cleaning of mushrooms.  Some feel that using water to clean them is fine while others think that in doing so minimizes the flavor (due to mushrooms being porous and getting water-logged).  Personally I gently wipe my mushrooms off with a clean, damp cloth to remove the dirt.

Below are some great dishes from Green Door Hospitality that include Cremini Mushrooms.  Simply click on the image to be taken to recipe!

Nobody really likes to do it, but it is the best way to clean a mushroom.

The dependable Portobello, with its musky, earthy flavor and firm, silky texture marinates quickly and cooks even faster, with equal and foolproof success in the pan, on the grill or in the oven.

It’s just so darn fun and easy to cook with and so predictably delicious.

To prepare your Portobello for your recipe du jour you’ll need a small knife, a dry mushroom brush (or any small brush with longish, soft bristles) and a tea spoon (or any small spoon with a tapered edge to facilitate scraping into and scooping out small spaces) to remove the gills from the underside of the cap. You don’t have to remove the gills, some cooks leave them – it’s just an aesthetic thing.

Lightly brush away any loose  dirt with the dry brush.

Cut the stem off where it joins the underside of the cap.

Hold your hand in front of you, palm facing up. Cradle the top of the cap in the palm of your hand over your sink to catch the debris. With the spoon held in your other hand, remove the gills from the underside of the cap by gently scooping and scraping so as not to break or gouge the cap.

Gently brush away any loose scrapings that remain on the underside of the cap. Don’t worry about the ones that are difficult to remove.

Rinse the brush in water. Holding the mushroom over the sink to catch the debris, gently brush the mushroom all over with the wet brush, re-wetting the brush as necessary, until the mushroom is clean. Again, don’t worry about getting every little piece of “dirt” off.

Now you ready to start cooking with your prepped Portobello!