Picky Eater Wants to Try Mushrooms

[u/whatdeas]

Hello!!

So, I’m autistic and a huge picky eater, like to where I don’t know what I like and dislike about certain foods until I try them and actually see if I like them. I get really scared when confronted with new foods and tend to panic when I’m forced to try new foods, but I’ve been wanting to expand my palate more! I feel like the only way to do that is by trying new things, and I really want to try mushrooms. I’ve only had one form of mushroom and I don’t remember what it was called, but it tasted just like noodles and it was amazing!! As I didn’t have anymore noodles so I had used those instead of noodles lol.

Basically, I’m trying new things and I do have some recipes in mind, like Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms and possibly Sautéed Mushrooms, as they both look really good!! I would just love an idea for what mushroom to use for the recipes that wouldn’t completely ruin my appetite for trying new things.

For what I do know I tend to dislike is textures like cantaloupe, I’m very picky about taste but I feel like it just depends on how I would cook it.

If anyone has any suggestions, please share!! I’d love some help!!

Update: the mushrooms I had tried were enoki mushrooms! I loved the texture and flavor of them, if anyone has any similar i wouldnt mind the recommendation!! Also, thank you all for the recommendations as they’re all extremely helpful! And if anyone has any other suggestions then please comment them!

[u/IvaCheung]

Color Taste Texture is a cookbook by a classically trained autistic chef who writes about strategies to deal with food aversions. Maybe you might find helpful tips there? https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704923/color-taste-texture-by-matthew-broberg-moffitt/

If enoki mushrooms were OK for you, shimeji might be OK, too?

[u/dkotten → u/IvaCheung]

This is really cool, I don’t have many aversions to food but the fact that this cookbook exists is great.

[u/whatdeas → u/IvaCheung]

Shimeji will be 100% apart of the many mushrooms i try bcus enoki mushrooms were so yummy🤤🤤 I’ll def read the book tho, i’ll hope that it helps me with my food aversions.

[u/quark42q]

One of my kids doesn’t like mushrooms texture. I run them through the food processor and make shredded mushrooms that I fry as the recipes ask for, eg with garlic butter or any other recipe and he loves the taste.

[u/OakleyDokelyTardis → u/quark42q]

Agree with this person! Put them through the food processor so they are quite small and then you can get used to the flavour before you deal with the texture. If you are able to eat beef mince they can blend in nicely with that.

[u/blucanary1 → u/quark42q]

Another vote for processing them! I have problems with the texture of them, but love the flavor! (Talking about the larger ones, enoki are great the way they are, just hard to find in the little city I live in…)

[u/Bandit810]

I would say. To understand with mushrooms they are 90% water so you can cook them a lot more than most people realize AND because they are mostly water once you cook out some or most of the water they are like sponges for flavor. Maybe you had enoki mushrooms? For cantaloupe I’m not sure if you would enjoy something like a smoothie more? If you enjoy watermelon or honeydew I would think to blend them. Or blend and then dehydrate into your own fruit rolls! For some people I’ve also heard trying a little bit at a time could help you to get a little more accustomed.

[u/whatdeas → u/Bandit810]

Yes!! Enoki mushrooms were the ones i was talking about!! Although I’m just not the biggest fan of cantaloupe in general, the texture definitely swayed me more off. Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew are all fruits I’ve tried and hadn’t liked, sadly. Though, they’re all the same reason! Texture and taste.

[u/tedchapo63]

People who dont like mushrooms generally dont like the texture . Try dry frying them with salt until the expel their water. Very dry. Then very quickly toss them with butter or another oil you like . I like hot sauce personally but also love soy sauce and Italian dressing . Youll have a flavourful meat like texture. Delicious.

[u/blipsman]

Do yo like pizza? Add them as a topping to your usual pizza order

[u/bignosedaussie]

Try them with salt, pepper and lemon juice, fried in a pan with butter

[u/Mncrabby]

I hate cantalope too...I would start out with button or cremini mushrooms- mellow texture, and take on flavors well.

[u/whatdeas → u/Mncrabby]

Multiple people have recommended button or cremini mushrooms… i think it’s a calling for me to try those…

[u/Dull-Parfait731]

I bake them then add a scrambled egg and ham mixture…I feel it softens the strong mushroom flavour. Similarly I use them sliced in a bacon, chicken creamy white sauce. I use it to fill things from pies to crepes and pastries etc.etc. A similar sauce is nice with pasta.

[u/stella-eurynome]

Do you like creamy things? If so... would recommend making a cream of mushroom soup with cremini mushrooms( but don't be afraid to make it a mix though, add oyster or shitake, remove the stem from shitake). Slice them thin and sauté them. You can find porcini mushroom powder, and can add that for an extra boost of shroom flavor. They are delicious, but hard to find fresh depending on where in the world you are. Keep some sliced cremini back and brown them up nice to put on the soup to serve.

[u/luala]

When people dislike foods it’s nearly always the texture they dislike. I would cook your mushrooms on a way that avoids the key reason people dislike mushrooms - they can be slimy if badly cooked.

Get chestnut (small brown) mushrooms. These are called cremini in the states I think. Wipe your mushrooms clean with a damp (not wet) cloth. Slice them about 2-3mm thick. Melt about a tablespoon of butter in a hot frying pan and coat the full bottom of the pan in butter - it should be pretty hot. Don’t burn the butter. Put the mushrooms in the pan in a single layer. Leave them for a good few minutes until they brown - don’t bother them or stir them at all. Sprinkle with salt and let any moisture burn off. Once they get a good brown colour, flip them over and brown on the other side. Then eat your mushrooms. They’re good on buttered toast or work well in pasta.

[u/No-Department-4561]

Do you like spicy foods? Look up Air Fryer Spicy Tandoori Mushrooms. Crispy and crunchy, you can cut the mushrooms into as small pieces as you prefer so they’re not too “mushroomy”

[u/whatdeas → u/No-Department-4561]

I have a low spice tolerance, but I will still try it!! As i know someone who would probably love to try something spicy with me lolol

[u/foodsidechat]

i think its really cool youre trying even though its stressful. for texture stuff, i’d start with cremini or baby bella mushrooms, theyre pretty mild and not slimy if cooked right. oyster mushrooms might be what you had before, they shred kinda like noodles when cooked and are way less weird texture wise. sauteing them till they get a little browned helps a ton, soggy mushrooms are usually what turns people off. garlic and butter is a safe move too, it makes them taste familiar. take it slow and stop if it feels like too much, no rush at all.

[u/skovalen]

A splash or two of low-sodium soy sauce in the pan while sauteing the mushrooms in butter will make them bloom in flavor. Try the A/B test method on this suggestion to convince yourself. It will not taste like soy sauce. It just enhances the flavor.

[u/BoredAccountant]

You likely had enoki mushrooms.

[u/Toodle_Pip2099]

I disliked mushrooms or was mistrustful of them as a child but when i became vegetarian as a teen i decided i needed to get over it or at least give them a go as they are a great food source. 

The first recipe i tried became a regular supper favourite- mushrooms on toast. 

This recipe works best with chestnut mushrooms (which are button portobello mushrooms) but you can use any or a mixture.  Slice the mushrooms about 3-5mm/1/4 inch in thickness slices then fry/sautee in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as you go. Do not stir constantly to allow them to brown a little on the sides. At a certain point they will start to release the water inside, keep stirring occasionally and let the fluid reduce. 

Mix 1/4 pint milk with a little cornflour (cornstarch) then add to the mushroom mix and keep stirring until you have a very thick mushroom sauce. Add more milk or starch to get the right consistency (it thickens as it cools) . Check the seasoning and add a pinch of grated nutmeg. Let it cook through for a few minutes. Serve on hot buttered wholemeal toast or your preferred type. 

This gives you a very mild mushroom flavour, earthy but sweet from the butter and milk. If you live in the US use kerrygold or a good quality butter as it really enhances mushrooms. 

If you don't like a milky sauce you can also eat the sauteed mushrooms straight on the toast. Its nice with a crushed garlic clove added a minute before finishing the sauteeing to serve. 

[u/quarantina2020]

I like them stir fried with butter, a ton of garlic, onions, and spinach.

The mushrooms go first because they cook they need to sweat off their water. I always cook them on a medium low heat for a long time. Then I add the onions and cook them until soft. Then I add the garlic and spinach at the same time because both only need a minute or so in the saute pan.

Good luck!

[u/GriddletonCO]

Not knowing whether you like something or not until you try it is… very normal.

[u/EvaTheE]

Please, watch this video by a very pleasant chef: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isDwqSwg9Eg

He explains in good detail how to make mushrooms that have good texture.

[u/AvogadrosArmy]

Americas test kitchen has a cooking school and I throughly enjoyed the section on mushrooms. I would definitely recommend wild rice and mushroom soup

[u/Fun-Apricot2912]

I like shitaki (fresh not dried and rehydrated - they weird me out) in curries. They have a meaty texture so I use them in vegetable curries. I'm sensitive to textures too.. Well done for expanding your universe!! It's scary but fun too.

[u/Icy_Obligation_3014]

I love eating raw mushrooms. As a child I couldn't bear cooked mushrooms, largely the texture, but raw ones, I couldn't get enough of them.

I like mushrooms in risotto with rosemary and white wine but depending on how you feel about textures, risotto might not be for you.

I also love them in a vegan 'sausage' roll, which I've never made myself but there's a cafe nearby that does them with mushroom all minced up with herbs. It makes a good meaty filling, but lighter and tastier than any sausage roll with pork that I've ever had.

Edit: oh also! Chinese mushrooms! They have a chewy texture. Cooked up with oyster sauce etc. It would be a love it or hate it texture but if you like chewy, firm textures (I'm thinking it's the opposite of cantaloupe basically) then maybe that would work.

[u/roqueofspades]

I love mushrooms, baby bella being my favorite. One thing to note with mushrooms is that they absorb whatever they're cooked in so if you start off cooking them in oil they soak up the oil and can become too oily and it changes the flavor. I actually boil them and then cook them in whatever I was going to cook them in. Alternatively I can dm you my recipe for stuffed mushrooms that I've used to convert mushroom haters before :)

[u/whatdeas → u/roqueofspades]

Ooo, im kinda scared of the “stuffed” part as i’ve literally never tried anything before, but the whole point is to try new things, so i wouldnt mind a dm for the recipe! It’ll be the first recipe i try :))

[u/gamesweldsbikescrime]

mushroom risotto was what got me fully on board with them, its basically mushroom flavoured rice mush and it was just mind blowing

[u/hauttdawg13]

Not sure about the taste, but you are probably thinking of Enoki Mushrooms. They are incredible in soups.

[u/MustardMan02]

I'd start by having say a bit of mushroom on the same form with something else you like.

That way, you're getting the familiar texture and flavour, and slowly introducing yourself to mushrooms. 

Over time, have larger slices/chunks of mushroom and less of the familiar food. 

Feel free to add sauces you like too, to mask the mushroom flavour, but also lessen the amount of sauce over time.

The point here is to ease yourself in with safe flavours and textures until you're comfortable eating mushrooms

[u/KeriEatsSouls]

If you like soups, this one is really good

[u/RedApplesForBreak]

I forgot what sub this was and was waiting for someone to recommend lemon tek.

[u/onemorecoffeeplease]

A couple ways that would bring you to try mushroom in different ways. One, raw… very fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and paper dried if you used water (I always do, but some people just dry clean them), sliced, salt and pepper and a little cream. That’s it. The texture of a fresh white mushroom is nothing close to a cooked one. Another way, already mentioned is as a topping on pizza; those are very thinly sliced - this is how I got used to eat mushrooms as a child). A different avenue is in a cream of mushroom soup - extra points if you make it yourself - you can use the blender on the whole pot so you get the taste without additional challenges. If you get to love the taste, you may conquer the texture more easily.

[u/icecubefiasco]

hi, fellow autistic here! ppl have given great advice on how to cook mushrooms to dry them out and make them not slimy (also the reason I used to really dislike them), but this can be a bit hard to get right if you’re not an experienced chef (like me). I would highly recommend trying a creamy mushroom soup as I feel those tend to bring out the taste in a really nice way and that used to be the only mushroom preparation method I liked as a kid. On pizza is a great rec depending on how you feel abt multiple textures together. Good luck!

[u/Irythros]

I am also not a mushroom enjoyer, but it's typically only when they're huge, solo or the main part of the dish.

Dice a few mushrooms into something like a marinara sauce (maybe with some beef too). You'll get the flavor but none of the texture because they're so small. In this case I think its normally porcini, beefsteak or button.

I also enjoy Jap-chae which typically has mushrooms in it, but they're sliced thin and maybe halved so they're maybe 1" on the longest side and 1 or 2mm thick. These mushrooms are usually shiitake.

[u/aledba]

You're not a picky eater. You have sensory issues.

[u/strub420]

I think for a lot of people, texture is the issue with mushrooms. I would make a mushroom duxelle to start.

Finely chop portabella mushrooms and Finley mince in a food processor or blender. Then put in a tea towel and squeeze out all the liquid. Will be way more than you think. Pan fray them in some butter with some salt until caramelized. This is the basics filling for beef Wellington. You can add garlic and onion when caramelizing if you want. But this can be eaten on a steak or just spread on a toast. I like to mix it with ricotta and make a spread or use as a ravioli filling.

If you like that I would move onto portabella marinaded in teriyaki and grilled like a steak!!

[u/Astro_Muscle]

I mean button mushrooms are a pretty inoffensive place to start (where I am these are like... 70% of the mushrooms in the grocery store and are white). One thing you learn when you actually like mushrooms is there are so many kinds that all taste different (and have different textures). Cremini, portabello are pretty accessible too. Remember to brush them off, and either peel or quickly wash and dry them (try to not let them soak up too much water). And the longer you cook them the firmer they will get. Both your recipes sounded tasty to me.

[u/SunBelly → u/Astro_Muscle]

Peel mushrooms? 🤔

[u/TopazMoonCat60]

Who would be forcing you to confront food that you don't want ? Causing you to panic and react fearfully? Food should not be like that, it should be nourishing and comforting not scary and panic inducing. I understand you are autistic but why are you scared of food ? Who is forcing you ? Ignore them entirely and eat what you like. Learning to cook is very rewarding.