To clean mushrooms, either brush them thoroughly with a damp towel or a soft brush, or, rinse them briefly, under cool running water.
Always dry mushrooms completely before cooking.
White button mushrooms or cremini only need to have the dry end of their stems trimmed before cooking whole, quartered, sliced, or diced.
It is not necessary to rinse shiitake mushrooms, since they don't grow in dirt, but in mid air on logs. However their stems are very tough, they should always be trimmed and use only the caps. Use the stems in stocks or broths.
Portobello mushroom's tough woody stems, are usually covered with dirt, and need to be trimmed or discarded. Some cooks trim the dark gills from the underside of the cap with a paring knife like this.
With oyster and chanterelle mushrooms, trim off any tough parts. These delicate mushrooms can simply be pulled in half, which accentuates their natural form.
To hydrate dried mushrooms, put them in a bowl, and pour very hot water over them, and set them aside until cool and tender.
Then, swish the mushrooms in the water to rinse off any loose dirt, before lifting them from the liquid.
If using the liquid, strain it through a coffee filter or carefully pour off the liquid discarding any matter that has falls to the bottom of the bowl.

Instructor: Katherine Alford