Hunts Point Produce Market

September is National Mushroom Month

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September is National Mushroom Month

September is National Mushroom Month! Mushrooms come in all different shapes and sizes and can be a healthy addition to a meal. Mushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, and vitamin-rich. At E Armata Inc., located in the Hunts Point Produce Market, we have mushrooms delivered fresh daily from local growers. We provide a broad range of mushrooms, from portabella and cremini to enoki and maitake. Here are some popular mushrooms for cooking:

  • Portabella: They are the mature form of the Agaricus bisporus species. Button and cremini mushrooms are actually from the same species, the only difference is the age. Portabellas are commonly used as a meat substitute due to their texture. 
  • Porcini: Often used in Italian dishes due to their earthy taste, and have a similar texture to portabella mushrooms. 
  • Shiitake: Often used in Asian cuisine, stir-fries, and soups. Shiitake mushrooms are a top source of vitamin B5.
  • White: The most common and mildest tasting, not intense flavor. 90% of mushrooms consumed are this variety.  Can be eaten raw or cooked and works well with soups, salads, and pizzas. 
  • Oyster: Whitish in color and fan-shaped.  Have a very delicate taste and scent.  Best in stir-fries or soups.  When cooked they have a smooth oyster-like texture and some say a slight seafood-like flavor. Flavors are very subtle but some describe as having an anise flavor with a mild earthy note.
  • Trumpet: A type of oyster mushroom, they are thick and stumpy with small flat caps. They are popular with Asian cooking and most often used in soups and stir-fries or even as tempura. They also grill or barbecue well.  When raw they have little to no flavor, but when cooked they have an umami taste and have a flavor and texture compared to an abalone.  They have a crunchy and firm texture.
  • Beech Brown: Considered one of the most gourmet mushrooms due to their rich flavor that consists of a mild, sweet and nutty taste with a firm texture.  They should always be cooked and never eaten raw.  They can be cooked into a broad range of recipes from soups and sauces to stir-fries. They are a good source of protein and dietary fiber.  They also contain many of the B vitamins, potassium, zinc, and copper.
  • Beech White: They have white-colored caps and white slender stems that connect to a thick white inedible base which allows the mushrooms to grow. They have a  sharp flavor and aroma when fresh, are sweet and buttery when cooked and a firm crunchy texture that softens with cooking.  They work well in soups, stews, and stir-fries
  • Enoki: The edible variety has small, shiny white caps attached to thin stems.  They have a distinctive crunch and are very good eaten raw. Most commonly used in Asian cuisine.  They have a firm texture and mild fruity taste.  A great source of dietary fiber, and a good source of various vitamins and minerals.
  • Maitake: looks like a head of cabbage from afar.  Can be cultivated or found growing in the woods.  Typically sold in clusters with their soft and feathery feeling caps overlaying each other.  This mushroom is mostly considered a medicinal mushroom but can be cooked.  Add this mushroom to a stirfry, pasta, pizza, salad, omelet, or soup.  Best fried or grilled in butter.  It also freezes well.

Mushrooms are not a vegetable, but a fungus. Mushrooms are actually closer to animals than they are vegetables. Here are some other interesting facts you might not know about mushrooms:

  1. Mushrooms come from mycelium, which is the vegetative part of the fungus that grows underground. 
  2. The largest living organism is actually a mushroom colony, called the Humongous Fungus located in Oregon, United States. 
  3. Mushrooms are the oldest known living species, with over 14,000 mushroom species known.
  4. Most mushrooms are a notable source of vitamin B, potassium, and fiber.
  5. Remember to cook your mushrooms! Raw mushrooms can contain potentially contain harmful substances. 

Celebrate National Mushroom Month with us at E Armata Inc., located in the Hunts Point Produce Market by trying a new mushroom you haven’t tried!   

mushrooms at the Hunts Point Produce Market

Our Mushroom Assortment At The Hunts Point Produce Market

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Opinions on mushrooms tend to be polarizing: You either love them or hate them. But really, mushrooms are perhaps one of the best natural food groups out there! At E.Armata Inc, located at the Hunts Point Produce Market, we supply over a dozen different mushroom varieties, each of which are packed with their own health benefits and flavor. By working alongside the top growers and shippers worldwide, E. Armata Inc. provides the freshest and highest quality mushrooms for your enjoyment. 

Benefits of Mushrooms:

Here are just a few of the reasons that you should cook with mushrooms.

They May Lower Blood Pressure

  • A great substitute for red meat in many recipes which has been linked to coronary heart disease.
  • Low in sodium.
  • Contains potassium which relaxes blood vessels and reduces pressure.

Strengthen Bones

  • High amounts of calcium
  • UVB mushrooms (those exposed to light during growth) contain vitamin D

Provides Protein & Immune Support

  • Great Vegetarian Protein Source
  • High in selenium – a powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and protects cells

 

What mushrooms can be found at the Hunts Point Produce Market:

With year-round suppliers, we make sure that you have access to any kind of mushroom. Having such a large selection makes it easy to try new recipes and get creative with your next menu. You can purchase any of these items fresh at Hunts Point Produce Market.

  • White: The most common mushroom used for cooking, commonly used in soups, salads, or pizzas. White mushrooms have a mild taste, and can be consumed either raw or cooked. 
  • Crimini: These mushrooms are young portabellas, or “baby bellas”, and are considerably darker, firmer, and more flavorful than white mushrooms. 
  • Portabella: Popular in Italian cooking, these mushrooms make a great meat substitute and can be a great addition to sauces for pasta dishes.  
  • Shiitake: These brown mushrooms have a rich, savory flavor and are prized for their generous nutritional value. Compounds found in these mushrooms can improve heart health, and boost immunity. 
  • Oyster: Commonly found in Asian soups and stir-frys. Oyster mushrooms have a delicate flavor and are white, fan-shaped mushrooms. 
  • Trumpet / King Oyster Cello: These mushrooms have a thick, meaty stem and are native to parts of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. 
  • Beech Brown: Having a sweet, nutty taste these mushrooms are popular in a variety of soups and stir-fries. 
  • Beech White: When cooked, this mushroom has an impressive crunchy texture and rich nutty taste. 
  • Enoki: Native in China, enoki mushrooms can be consumed raw or cooked. They have a unique look, having small, white caps attached to long, thin stems. 
  • Maitake: These mushrooms are commonly sold in clusters due to their overlapping soft caps. Native in the northwestern United States and Japan, Maitake mushrooms have an earthy taste and aroma. 
  • Porcini: One of the most popular wild mushrooms, porcini are reddish-brown in color and have a woodsy flavor and smooth texture. 
  • Morels: This hard-to-find exotic mushroom has a unique meaty texture and nutty flavor, and is often served in expensive, fancy dishes.   
  • Chanterelles: These golden mushrooms have a fleshy, rounded cap and are commonly served sautéd in butter.
  • Truffles: The black variety of truffles have a strong taste, similar to that of a black olive. The white variety of truffles are harder to find and are considered a luxury food item.
  • Lobster: These mushrooms have a similar color to cooked lobster meat, and even have a seafood-like aroma when cooked. 

E. Armata Inc. is proud to carry all of these varieties at Hunts Point Produce Market. If you have any questions about our offerings, are interested in our wholesale delivery services, or want more information about us, be sure to contact us or visit us at Hunts Point Produce Market today.

Papaya Avocado Salad

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Photo & Recipe Courtesy Studioist

Yield: 1 large salad

Ingredients

For Dressing:

  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, additional to taste
  • 2 tbsp papaya seeds
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard

For Salad:

  • 1 head of Green Leaf lettuce, washed, dried and chopped
  • 8 oz fresh baby spinach, washed, dried and chopped
  • 1 ripe papaya, peeled, halved and seeds removed
  • 2 large avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
  • 1/2 large red onion, chopped

Directions

  • Blend all dressing ingredients until papaya seeds become fine ground.
  • Store dressing in the fridge until ready to toss and serve.
  • Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Gently toss with dressing (amount to taste) and serve immediately.

 

Fruit Salad with Citrus-Basil Syrup Recipe

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Recipe By Southern Living

 

Summer is just around the corner and fresh fruits are ready to be harvested! Time to get out the cookbook and dice up some healthy meals to enjoy with friends and family for any occasion. Packed with E.Armata’s fresh, healthy produce, this Fruit Salad with Citrus-Basil Syrup Recipe welcomes all palates. Total cook and prep time is 45 minutes and serves 6.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of water
  • ½ cup of sugar
  • ¼ cup of firmly pressed fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon of orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
  • ½ pounds of peaches, peeled and sliced
  • ½ pounds of plums, sliced
  • 1 pound of apricots, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil

 

Instructions

Step 1

Bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat.

Step 2

Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup of firmly packed basil leaves, orange zest, and lemon zest. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Step 3

Combine plums, peaches, and apricots in a bowl. Pour the sugar mixture through a fine-meshed wire strainer into a bowl, and dispose of the solid pieces.

Step 4

Stir ¼ to ½ cup syrup and 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped basil into the fruit. Combine and you’re finished! A yummy, healthy, and fresh snack for the whole family to enjoy!

Our Salads

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At E. Armata, we value the integrity of our farmers and seek to provide the highest quality of produce to our customers. With the spring season here, and the summer season quickly approaching, so is the season of salads! When you visit the Hunts Point Produce Market, you can rest easy knowing that all of our leafy greens and produce are quality controlled.

Our Salads

E. Armata offers fresh brand name salads that are both available in organic and conventional variations. We rotate our salads continuously to offer peak freshness and extend shelf-life for our customers.

Brands at E.Armata

We offer the highest quality brands for our salad offerings. We carry 50/50 blends, arugula, spinach, kale, romaine, sweet lettuce, and herb spring mix.

 

  • Simple Beginnings Salads: Simple Beginnings Salads is a company that aims to make good eating as simple as possible for as many as possible. Their products are washed, ready to cook, and maintain the highest quality standards.

 

  • E. Armata Brand: Our E. Armata brand products include Spring Mix (mesclun), Baby Spinach, and Bunch Spinach, all of which are packaged.

The Promise of Quality – Hunts Point Produce Market

We are dedicated to supplying our growers, shippers, and customers with the highest quality products possible. E. Armata has been certified by Good Management Practices, with a 100 percent superior rating. The Hunts Point Produce Market offers nothing but the freshest salads and produce. Whatever brand of salad you prefer, E.Armata only offers the freshest and highest quality for you!

Kale and Brussel Sprouts Salad

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated finely
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more for seasoning)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large bunches of kale (approximately 1 1/2 pounds total), discard center stem leaving thinly sliced leaves.
  • 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Method

  1. Ahead of time: Prepare kale mixture, dressing, and toasted almonds eight hours prior. Chill dressing and kale mixture separately.  Cover almonds and let stand in room temperature.
  2. Mix lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl.
  3. Stir items until blended and set mixture aside.
  4. Add thinly sliced kale and brussel sprouts into a large bowl.
  5. Measure ½ cup oil into a cup. Stir almonds with 1 tbsp of oil from the cup in a small skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, until the almonds are golden brown
  6. Transfer nuts to paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.
  7. With the oil remaining in the cup, mix it into the original lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
  8. Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture and toss until coated.  Season with salt and pepper and garnish with almonds.