Lion's mane mushroom steaks

Name: Lion's mane mushroom steaks
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Modern
Ingredients: 400 g lion's mane mushroom, one whole head or two small ones; 2 tbsp olive oil, or a neutral oil; 30 g butter; 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed, skin on; 4 sprigs fresh thyme; salt and freshly ground black pepper; ½ lemon, cut into wedges; 1 pinch chilli flakes or flaky sea salt

Thick slabs of lion's mane, pressed dry under a weight, seared until crisp and basted with garlic and thyme butter. Ready in 30 minutes.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 25 min
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium

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Lion's mane mushroom

With its dense, stringy texture, lion's mane is one of the few mushrooms you can genuinely carve like a steak. Its mild, slightly sweet flavour, often compared to crab or lobster, comes into its own once it has a well-seared crust.

The whole trick is getting the water out. Press the slabs under something heavy and they won't soak up fat like a sponge; you end up with crisp edges and a meaty centre.

Servings 2

Ingredients

Tick them off as you go.

Steaks

400 g lion's mane mushroom, one whole head or two small ones
2 tbsp olive oil, or a neutral oil
30 g butter
3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed, skin on
4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

½ lemon, cut into wedges
1 pinch chilli flakes or flaky sea salt

Method

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Don't wash the mushroom; it soaks up water like a sponge. Brush off any debris and trim away any browned or yellowing bits. Cut it from base to top into four 2 cm thick slabs; the smaller offcuts from the sides can be cooked alongside.
~5 min
Heat a large, heavy frying pan (cast iron is ideal) over a medium-high heat with no oil for 2 minutes. Lay in the slabs, cover with a sheet of baking paper and weigh them down with a heavy pan or a jar filled with water.
~3 min
Cook under the weight for 4–5 minutes; the mushroom will hiss as it releases its water and shrink to about half its thickness. Flip, put the weight back and press for another 4–5 minutes. Blot up any liquid left in the pan with kitchen paper.
~10 min
Remove the weight, add the olive oil and season the slabs with salt and pepper. Fry without moving them for 3 minutes a side, until they have a deep golden, crisp crust.
~6 min
Lower the heat and add the butter, garlic and thyme. When the butter foams and smells nutty, tilt the pan towards you and spoon the foaming butter over the steaks continuously for 2 minutes (basting).
~3 min
Move the steaks to warm plates and spoon over the garlicky butter from the pan. Finish with flaky salt or chilli flakes and serve straight away with lemon wedges.
~2 min

Enjoy!

The mushroom in this recipe

Lion's mane mushroom Hericium erinaceus

About this species Grow it at home Fresh mushrooms

Mushroom swaps

King oyster mushroom Pleurotus eryngiiSlice the thick stems lengthways 1.5 cm thick and score the faces in a crosshatch; halve the pressing time.
Maitake / hen of the woods Grifola frondosaKeep it in whole 4–5 cm clusters and press the same way; you'll get crispier edges.

Tips

Choose a firm, bright white head; yellowing, wet or sour-smelling mushrooms won't brown well.
Salt only after pressing; salting too early draws out the water unevenly and stops a crust from forming.
Serve with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables or a mushroom pan sauce.
For a vegan version, use a good olive oil instead of butter and baste in exactly the same way.

Storage

Best eaten as soon as it's cooked. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes a side. Store the raw mushroom in a paper bag in the fridge and cook it within 3–4 days; don't use it if it turns yellow or smells sour.

Read our guide to storing mushrooms →

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