Yuzu-Pickled Enoki Mushrooms

Author Notes

Welcome to Plus One, a column by Food Editor Emily Ziemski where those small-but-mighty additions that instantly upgrade whatever’s on the table—ingredients, sauces, toppings—are the star of the show. Today, a deeper look into the fungal network with a quick pickle, plus a cocktail.

Mushrooms love to absorb. As fungi are about 90 percent water, they can soak up a lot, and because they lack a real proper circulatory system, they process nutrients, information, and the like directly through their wall structure. They absorb all of that into their trama (squishy stem and cap insides) from tree roots, soil, and decomposing forest floors, and, in this recipe, enoki mushrooms absorb spicy yuzu kosho.

I chose yuzu kosho—a Japanese condiment made from green chiles—as a pickling base because enokis are sort of like a blank canvas. They are slightly nutty with an overall mild flavor, and when raw, they’re a bit crunchy—perfect for a bold brine. When pickled, they do this little magic trick and absorb most of the spice of the yuzu, leaving the originally vivid brine as a mild, salty liquid.

In their final act, these pickled enoki mushrooms (and their brine) settle into a dirty martini created with Cocktail Resident Harper Fendler; a ruby-hued drink that’s a far cry from the traditional dirty gin martini you’d find at a bar. Mushroom—and martini—transformed. —Emily Ziemski

Test Kitchen Notes

Note: If you plan on making the Yuzu-Mushroom Martini, reserve as much of the brine as you’d like, separate from the mushrooms. Store chilled.

This recipe pairs with the Yuzu-Mushroom Martini by Cocktail Resident Harper Fendler—get the recipe here! —Food52