Shiitake 椎茸

Shiitake mushroom, are a staple ingredient in Chinese cuisine. The name ''black'' is a bit of a misnomer since the mushrooms can be light or dark brown, and even gray when dried. They are also frequently speckled.They are sold fresh but are more commonly purchased dried.

The mushrooms have been utilized for their health benefits in traditional Asian healing systems for centuries. Shiitake, when translated from Japanese, refers to the shii tree on which these mushrooms originally grew, while také means mushroom. These mushrooms are more expensive than white button and cremini mushrooms, but their rich, earthy flavor and meaty texture make them worth the extra cost. Black mushrooms are often part of sautés, soups, stuffings, and risottos.