This Chilled Mushroom Salad Is Our Favorite New Way to Use Black Vinegar

This simple chilled salad features a zesty dressing of black vinegar, chiles, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil over sautéed beech mushrooms.

Active Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Yield: 4 servings

The chewy texture of beech mushrooms — a texture known as “Q” in Taiwan — gives this chilled appetizer salad a fun and toothsome bite. The mushrooms are quickly sautéed before being marinated in a tangy dressing accented with fresh chiles, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil. You can serve this beech mushroom recipe right away, or make it ahead and chill it in the refrigerator for up to three days to allow the mushrooms to further absorb the punchy marinade.

Beech mushrooms have a faint aroma of almond with a mild taste. They maintain a lovely tender yet chewy texture and can be stored in a container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The black vinegar is slightly sweet and balanced by the soy and oyster sauces, while Thai chiles and cilantro add fresh flavors, heat, and a pop of color. If you don’t have Chinese black vinegar, you can substitute it with rice vinegar.

Frequently asked questions

What are beech mushrooms?

Beech mushrooms, also known as shimeji in Japan, have long stems and small- to medium-size caps. They grow in the wild on fallen beech trees in clusters and are available in white or brown varieties. Although bitter when raw, beech mushrooms develop a nutty flavor when cooked. Their crunchy texture makes them perfect for salads, stir-fries, and soups, and they’re also a favorite in hot pots, rice, and noodle dishes. Discard the base of each cluster when separating the stems before cooking. Beech mushrooms can be found at most Asian or specialty grocery stores as well as online.

What is black vinegar?

Black vinegar is made by fermenting and aging whole grains (glutinous rice, wheat, millet, or sorghum) in clay vessels. The result is an earthy, malty condiment found throughout Taiwanese, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisines. The most well-known brand of black vinegar is Chinkiang (Zhenjiang) made with glutinous rice and malt, which has smoky, rich flavors and sweet molasses notes. On its own or combined with soy sauce, black vinegar is wonderful in a dipping sauce with dumplings. It’s also delicious in chilled sesame noodles and brushed onto anything destined for the grill. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

This beech mushroom salad is also excellent served over rice, soba noodles, or in a bowl of ramen, according to F&W test cook Marianne Williams. “The mushrooms maintain a lovely texture with some chew. The black vinegar is present and nicely balanced by the soy and oyster sauces.”

Make ahead 

Beech mushroom salad can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. Sprinkle with cilantro (if using) just before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh white or brown beech mushrooms

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or rice rice vinegar

• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce

• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1 red Thai chile, thinly sliced (seeded, if desired)

• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Slice off and discard base end of each beech mushroom cluster, and separate mushrooms into individual pieces. Heat canola oil in a wok or large skillet over high. Add mushrooms and salt. Cook, stirring often, until liquid released by mushrooms is mostly evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (Do not allow mushrooms to begin to brown.) Transfer mushrooms to a medium bowl, and let cool 10 minutes.

2. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic, and Thai chile in a small bowl; stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour vinegar mixture over mushrooms; stir until combined. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if using, just before serving.

Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, March 2024