White Pepper Popcorn Shrimp (of the Woods)

Pop one in your mouth, then pop another. Maybe that’s why they can this popcorn shrimp of the woods?

Made with foraged shrimp of the woods mushrooms (aborted entaloma) they are crispy, juicy, tender, with that addictive salt and white pepper flavor. This recipe perfectly highlights the firm and juicy texture of entaloma mushrooms, while adding another element of textural goodness with the crunchy, crispy exterior.

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Identifying Shrimp of the Woods

Fall is mushroom season, and at the beginning of September we’re heading into peak season. One of those Fall favorites about to pop up in full force are the aborted entaloma, or more palatably put, shrimp of the woods. They’re relatively small, white, irregular looking mushrooms that bear a distinct resemblance to packing peanuts. Don’t worry, they don’t taste like packing peanuts. They’ve got a fairly mild mushroom flavor, and a juicy, firm flavor. As the name implies, they are often used similarly to shrimp because of the size and texture.

Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.

Check out the Mushroom Expert for more information about the aborted entoloma.

The aborted entaloma have a somewhat debated relationship with another edible mushroom, the honey mushroom. It is thought that the packing peanut-like mushroom is an entaloma whose mycelium has been taken over by the honey mushroom. Shrimp of the woods are generally eaten in their aborted form. In their non-aborted form they look like a small, greyish, gilled mushroom- it is not recommended that you eat the non-aborted form as there are several poisonous look-alikes. The aborted form is irregularly shaped, white when fresh and bruising brown. There is often a slight indent in the center, rather like the bite-surface of a molar. They grow on or near decaying wood, often near leaf litter and typically appear in September. Most mushrooms I pick I throw in my bag and clean later, but with the aborted entoloma I make a point to cut off the bottoms that are covered in dirt. Because the shrimp of the woods have irregular shapes with the slight cavities, it really helps not to have too much dirt around as it gets stuck.

Pick mushrooms that are white and firm- as they age they will become spongy or hollow in the center. Shrimp of the woods don’t keep very well, so try and eat them within a few days of harvesting. As the name suggests, they can be used as a vegetarian shrimp alternative for the shape and texture, although the flavor is very much that of a mushroom. I think they taste a lot like a button mushroom, but more flavorful.

Looking for Shrimp of the Woods Recipes? Try one of these!

• Szechuan Style Chili Shrimp of the Woods
• Honee Garlic Shrimp of the Woods
• Vegan Aborted Entaloma Po’Boy

Looking for Fried Vegan Goodness? Try one of these!

• Salt and Vinegar Fried Lotus Root
• Maple Cream Vegan Donuts
• Crispy Cornbread Fried Milkweed Poppers
• Spinach Mushroom Star Dumplings
• Crispy Coconut Fried Tofu in Pineapple Dipping Sauce
• Loaded Jerusalem Artichoke Chips
• Bloomin’ Maitake
• Korean Style Corndogs from Carrots
• Homemade Bitter Melon Chips
• Vegan Baja Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
• Tempura Squash Vegan Sushi

How to Make Popcorn Shrimp of the Woods

I’ve never enjoyed the flavor of white pepper as much as in this recipe- in not quite sure how to describe it, but something about the fermented, cheesy, herbaceous flavor just works. So let’s get cooking.

First things first, you’ve got to get some of the woods of your shrimp of the woods- clean them, the is. They can have a lot of nooks and crannies, so I’ve developed an approach to clean the dirt out. First I fill a large bowl with water and add the mushrooms. Swish them around to get off as much dirt as possible and drain the water and repeat. Then comes my secret weapon- a pipe cleaner, not the type you use for crafts but the type you might use to clean a reusable straw. Gently scrub any bits of dirt and crevices. While you do have to handle each mushroom individually, once you get started it’s relatively quick work.

After your mushrooms are clean, the next step is to marinade them in a mixture containing white pepper, five spice, soy sauce and more. Make sure you get some of that sauce on all of the shrimp of the woods, before sticking it in the fridge and letting it marinade for at least an hour. Marinading for even just an hour will add a lot of flavor to your mushrooms.

Now you’ve reached the final stage, which is the cooking stage. For perfectly crispy popcorn shrimp of the woods, we’re going to fry. The outside is coated with cornstarch flavored with white pepper and salt. Once your oil is good and got, you get take your entalomas from the marinade to the cornstarch, and the cornstarch to the hot oil. Let them cook until the outside is hard and crisp, and they have started to turn a little golden. Work in batches until they are all cook cooked. I like to finish the dish off by quickly frying a handful of basil leaves as garnish. They are delicious as is, but also excellent with a dipping sauce (I like to mix vegan mayo with hot sauce), and I can only imagine they would be amazing on a sandwich.

White Pepper Popcorn Shrimp (of the Woods)

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