Hedgehog's Tooth - Hericium Mushroom

The lion's mane mushroom owes its name to its unusual shape. It is roundish-oval or heart-shaped and covered on its outer surface with many densely packed, long spines. The Chinese chose this fitting name for it because of this. There, it is also called "monkey head mushroom" because the fruiting body resembles a hairy monkey's head.

The lion's mane mushroom is considered a popular and excellent edible mushroom in China. It is one of the few mushrooms that, when cooked, possess a strong lobster-like aroma. In Europe, the lion's mane mushroom is less well-known, even though it is native to parts of the continent.

Its unique flavor and highly decorative, coral-like appearance make it a highly sought-after delicacy. In the wild, this mushroom is found in deciduous forests in Europe, North America, and Asia (especially China and Japan).

Lion's mane is rich in potassium, zinc, iron, germanium, selenium, phosphorus and contains all essential amino acids as well as polysaccharides and polypeptides.

Recipe for approximately 5 people

Ingredients:

• 200 g fresh lion's mane mushroom
• 250 g crème fraîche
• 50 g fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt, pepper, lemon juice

Preparation:

• For this simple, quick recipe, cut the mushrooms into small cubes.
• First finely chop the parsley and add it.
• Mix with the créme fraîche
• Press in the garlic cloves and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Tip 1: Do not wash the hedgehog hair, only brush it, otherwise it will soak up water.

Tip 2: To make the garlic more digestible, remove the germ in the middle of the clove.

Tip 3: This recipe also works wonderfully with shiitake mushrooms in combination with or as a substitute for lion's mane mushrooms.