LEF
TOVERMushroomsFUTUREPROOFBIVALVESHAVEBEENan
importantsourceoffood
andshelterin coastal
settlementssincepre-
colonialtimes.In Port
Lincoln,SA,hometo
delicious.ProduceAwardsmedallist
KinkawookaMussels,thereis evidenceof
musselandoystermiddensdatingback
6000 years.In theearlydaysofwhite
settlement,largeshipshadtonavigate
SydneyHarbour’svastoysterreefs,which
actedasmarinekidneys,filteringpollution.
Today,researchersestimatethatalmost
allnaturalshellfishreefsin NSWhavebeen
wipedout.Thegoodnewsis thatthebest
thingyoucando is hightail it to oyster
happyhour.
OceanWatchAustralia’sLivingShorelines
initiativeis transformingthe 3000 tonnesof
oystershellwastegeneratedbytheNSW
hospitalityindustryeachyeartorebuild
reefs,baggingshellsin coconutfibreto
strategicallypegtoerodedshorelines.
Similarly,theSydneyInstituteofMarine
Science,a collaborationbetweenfour
NSWuniversities,hasa five-yearprojectto
restoreSydneyHarbour’shistoricreefsand
theonceprolificnativeangasiflatoyster.
IntheUS,NewYorkCity’sBillionOyster
Projectlaunchedin 2014tocleanupthe
city’sharbourin thesamemanner.
Returningtheshellstothewaterway,the
projectaimstorestoremollusccolonies
withonebillionoystersacross 40 hectares
ofnewreefby2035.
A singleoystercanfilterupto 200 litres
ofwatera dayin a processknownas
benignfarming,becausetheypullnutrients
fromthewaterwithoutneedingadded
feed.In a worldwheresomuchofwhat
weconsumehasa negativeenvironmental
footprint,themightymollusccouldbe one
of the most sustainable choices.delicious.com.au/food-files
Formoretipsonmaking the
most of ingredients.ONCEREFERREDTOby
EmperorNeroas“thefood
ofthegods”duetoits
potentialfortranscendence,
themushroomhasbecome
anintrinsicfoodsourcetoculturesallover
theglobe.Sinceancienttimes,mushrooms
havebeenreveredfortheirrestorative,
medicinalandculinaryproperties.Given
theirephemeralnature,it makessenseto
usewhathasbeencollectedorpurchased
assoonaspossible,andtoextendthelife
ofthosemushroomsthatarenotsoplump
anymore.I makea mushroommaster
saucetouseasa baseformanydishes.
Roughlyslice1kgmushroomsofchoice,
tossin a bowlwith2 tbssaltflakesandset
asidefor 24 hours.Heat^1 / 4 cup(60ml)oil
in a frypanovermediumheatandadd
1 choppedonion,5cmgratedginger,
2 crushedgarliccloves,^3 / 4 tspallspice,(^1) / 2 tspnutmeganda largepinchdried
chilliflakes.Seasonandstiruntilonionis
soft.Addmushroomandsoakingliquid,
then1 cup(250ml)redwinevinegarand
(^1) / 4 cup(60g)brownsugar.Simmerfor
45 minutesuntilreduced.Blenduntil
smooth and store in sterilised jars.
STOREANDSELECT
Lookforfirm,plumpandbug-free
produce.Neverstorein plastic.
Instead,keepin a paperorclothbag
in thecrisperdrawerofrefrigerator;
theyshouldlastupto3-4days.Clean
mushroomswitha supple,softbrush
to removeanysoilandleaves.
GOWITH
Garlic,thyme,ghee,cream,
sourdough, rice, chicken, rosemary.
Searchdelicious.com.aufor
‘cheesy mushroom galette’
Makeit a dozen,saysShannon
Harley, becauseeatingoysters
could help save the world.
WastefreeChefRachelPotteris a sustainabilitychampion,
as her simple recipe for mushroom master stock proves.
ILLUSTRATION
ALICE CLEARY
INSIDER.
@the.wastefree.chef @misspamplemousse
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