A certified organic mushroom farm located 70 miles northeast of Minneapolis in Clayton, Wisconsin, Northwood Mushrooms Family Farm provides fresh, frozen and dried mushrooms — cultivated and wild — at the Mill City Farmers Market.
Owner and operator Jeremy McAdams got his start mushroom farming several years ago with over a hundred logs in his South Minneapolis backyard. The following year his collection ballooned into his neighbors’ yards, and he eventually moved to the farm in Wisconsin a few years ago.
Growing mushrooms on logs creates a mushroom of unparalleled flavor and firmness. Northwood Mushrooms does not use fungicides or other chemicals on logs or their mushrooms.
In fact, they go a few steps further by not using treated wood or solvents. They use fully biodegradable plastic bags for incubating mushroom logs, and their packaging is recycled or made from plant material.
This winter, with help from the Mill City Farmers Market’s Next Stage Grant for local farmers and food makers, Jeremy is retrofitting existing barn space to create a winter fruiting space for mushrooms, giving him the ability to create a new winter CSA and have a premium fresh product for the markets.
There are two more outdoor markets — 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Oct. 20 and Oct. 27 — where you can find Northwood Mushrooms before they move inside to Mill City’s Winter Market, starting in November and running through April. Learn more at millcityfarmersmarket.org
Japanese root vegetable and mushroom stew with seared salmon and miso aioli
Recipe by market chef Beth Jones
For the aioli
- 1/4 cup miso
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Pinch of sugar
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
Blend the ingredients in a small food processor until smooth. Refrigerate until just before using.
For the stew
- 4, 4oz portions of salmon from Wild Run Salmon, pin-boned with skin on
- 6 dried mushrooms from Northwood Mushrooms, soaked in boiling water (like tea) for two hours
- 2 cups sake or white wine, divided
- ½ pound fresh mushrooms from Northwood Mushrooms
- 1 piece kombu, about 7 by 3 1/2 inches
- 1 small leek, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup radishes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- Pinch of chili flakes
Pull salmon out of the refrigerator, season with salt and pepper and allow to come to room temperature.
Drain mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Place the kombu in a large pot, add mushrooms and soaking liquid, and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the liquid boils, remove the kombu. Add the next 6 ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and cook 12–15 minutes or until vegetables have softened but not become mushy. Season with more salt, pepper and rice vinegar as needed. Remove from heat.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the salmon, skin-side down. Sear for 2 minutes. Turn the fish and sear for another 2 minutes for medium rare. Remove from the heat.
Fill 4 large bowls with the stew, place a salmon filet on top of each, and drizzle with the miso aioli. Garnish with scallions and pepper flakes.
