Hericium abietis. Also known as Lion's Mane

Out for a walk in the woods

My friend Nick and I were walking through the woods of Oregon exploring mother nature when I looked over and saw this beauty, it's called Hericium abietis. Also known as Lion's Mane an edible mushroom we found last year along the Pacific Rim trail. I have recently just learned about this species while researching edible mushrooms and I remembered I had taken these photos not knowing what it was at the time. Apparently it taste like lobster when cooked. I wish I would have known what it was because I'm willing to try something new. :)

"Hericium abietis, commonly known as the bear's head or the western coral hedgehog, is an edible mushroom in the tooth fungus group. It grows on conifer stumps or logs in North America, producing a cream white fruit body up to tall and wide. It fruits from after the start of the fall rains to mid-season." - Wikipedia

Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe

Here's a simple lion's mane mushroom recipe that's delicious on pasta or crackers. The butter and cream are a little heavy, but you can substitute olive oil and milk for a lighter mushroom recipe. This cooks down to gravy, although you can omit all the liquids if you like and still have a delicious topping for pasta, tofu, or other dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb lion's mane mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups light cream
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons flour

First melt one tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they seem to have given off most of their liquid.
Throw in the onions and garlic and cook until the onions have softened and the mushrooms are brown.
Add the flour and the remainder of the butter. Cook several more minutes, stirring frequently to mix the melting butter
with everything else.
Slowly pour in the cream. Turn down the heat and allow the mixture to simmer until it has reached your desired
consistency.

Serve on top of pasta, rice, or crackers. Delicious!

Post by: @thegreengiant
Recipe noted was created by: Mushroom Appreciation