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Roasted maitake (hen of the woods)

Maitake roasted at 220 °C with garlic butter and thyme until the edges are crisp and the centres meaty, ready in 35 minutes.

Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy

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Maitake, also called hen of the woods, grows as a cluster of overlapping frilly fronds. In a hot oven the thin edges crisp up like crackling while the thick centre stays juicy and meaty. Don't confuse it with chicken of the woods, the bright yellow-orange bracket fungus Laetiporus, which is a completely different mushroom.

Here the clusters are roasted in large pieces rather than chopped small. Serve them with a salad or mash as a main course, or on their own as a striking snack.

Servings 2

Ingredients

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For the mushrooms

To serve

Method

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  1. Heat the oven to 220 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Don't wash the maitake; brush or wipe off any dirt. Trim a thin slice off the tough base and pull the cluster into 4–6 large pieces, following its natural shape.

    ~7 min

  2. Mix the olive oil, melted butter, garlic and thyme leaves. Brush it all over the mushroom pieces, working it in between the fronds, then season with salt and pepper.

    ~3 min

  3. Lay the pieces cut-side down on the tray, leaving space between them. Roast on the middle shelf for 15 minutes until the undersides are golden and the edges are starting to curl.

    ~15 min

  4. Take out the tray, spoon the garlicky butter from the tray over the mushrooms and turn them over. Roast for 8 minutes more, until the frilly edges are dark brown and crisp and the thick centres are tender.

    ~8 min

  5. As soon as they come out of the oven, finish with lemon zest and juice, flaky salt and parsley if using. Serve hot.

    ~2 min

Enjoy!

The mushroom in this recipe

Maitake

Mushroom swaps

  • Oyster mushroom
    Oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatusRoast the clusters whole or halved, and cut the cooking time by 5 minutes.
  • King oyster mushroom
    King oyster mushroom Pleurotus eryngiiHalve lengthways and score the cut sides in a crisscross; roast at the same heat for the same time.

Tips

  • Don't crowd the tray; if the pieces touch they'll steam rather than crisp.
  • Brush maitake clean instead of washing it; the fronds trap water and stop it browning.
  • For extra crunch, switch on the grill for the last 2 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

Storage

Best eaten straight from the oven. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat thoroughly in a 200 °C oven for 5–6 minutes to bring back the crunch.

Read our guide to storing mushrooms →

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Kitchen guides

Before you cook: clean, store, dry

How to clean mushroomsPractical ways to clean everything from button mushrooms to morels without waterlogging them or ruining their texture. How to store mushroomsHow to keep fresh, cooked, frozen and dried mushrooms at their best — and how to tell when they’ve gone bad. How to dry mushroomsA step-by-step guide to drying mushrooms at home in the oven, in a dehydrator or on a string — and how to store and rehydrate them.