Oyster BLTs with maple & smoked paprika
Crisped in a screaming-hot pan with a kiss of maple syrup and a heavy hand of smoked paprika, oyster mushrooms do an uncanny bacon impression. Stack on toasted sourdough with garden lettuce, a thick slice of tomato, and garlic aioli. This is the sandwich for the first warm Saturday of the season.
* Great with Pink Oysters.
The method
The whole recipe hinges on one thing: getting the pan ripping hot before the mushrooms hit it. Don't crowd, don't stir too soon, and let the maple do its thing in the last minute.
Whisk the aioli, set aside
In a small bowl, whisk mayo, microplaned garlic, lemon juice, and Dijon until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while you cook — the garlic mellows beautifully in 10 minutes.
3 minutesTear, don't slice, the mushrooms
Pull oysters into strips roughly the size of a slice of bacon — long, ragged, irregular. Tearing creates surface area; slicing creates clean edges that won't crisp the same way. Trust the rough hand.
4 minutesHeat the pan past comfortable
A heavy skillet — cast iron is best — over medium-high for at least 2 minutes. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water vanishes on contact. Add the oil and let it shimmer, almost smoke.
3 minutesIn they go — and leave them alone
Spread the mushrooms in a single layer (work in two batches if needed; crowding kills the crisp). Don't touch them for 4 minutes. Resist the urge. They'll release liquid, sizzle, then start to dry-fry. This is what you want.
4 minutesFlip, season, glaze
Toss or flip and sprinkle with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook another 3 minutes until the edges are mahogany and crisp. Drizzle the maple syrup into the pan and toss quickly — it should hiss, caramelize, and coat in about 20 seconds.
4 minutesBuild the sandwich
Slather aioli on the toasted sourdough. Lay down lettuce, then tomatoes (salt the tomatoes!), then a generous tangle of mushroom bacon. Top with the second slice. Press gently, slice diagonally if you're feeling fancy, eat immediately.
3 minutes
About the Oyster
A staple of our grow rooms. Fast-growing, fan-shaped, and uniquely savoury — almost bacon-like when crisped, which is the entire reason this recipe exists. Pink, blue, yellow, and king all work beautifully here, each lending its own character. They don't keep long, so we sell them the day they're picked. Eat them young, eat them bright.
More on our mushroomsNotes & tips
Aioli holds for 3 days
Whisk a double batch and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Use on tomato sandwiches, roasted potatoes, or as a dip for crudités.
Mix and match the oysters
Pink and blue oysters bring the most drama. Pearl and king are reliable everyday picks. Yellow oysters lean too sweet for this one; save them for a stir-fry.
Leftovers reheat well
The crisped mushrooms can be reheated in a 200°C oven for 4 minutes. Avoid the microwave — it brings the moisture back and undoes everything.
"The first time I made this for Theo, he ate three sandwiches and didn't speak for ten minutes. I took that as a good sign."
— Lena, on the kitchen-tested version
