Oreja de cantaria: wild Mexican oyster mushroom

What is it?

Oreja de cantaria is an edible wild mushroom belonging to the species Pleurotus djamor, also known as pink oyster mushroom, seta rosa or hongo de san juan. It gets its name from the shape of its fruit bodies, flat and ear- or fan-shaped, which grow grouped on the trunks and dead branches of tropical and subtropical trees. Its characteristic pink or salmon colour, especially when young, makes it easily identifiable and attractive. It is gathered in the forests of Veracruz, Oaxaca, the State of Mexico, Puebla and Chiapas during the rainy season and sometimes outside it in humid climates. It is one of the few wild Mexican mushrooms also cultivated on a commercial scale, thanks to its rapid production and its adaptation to substrates such as straw and maize stover. Oreja de cantaria forms part of Mexico's rich mycological heritage and is eaten stewed, in mixiotes, quesadillas and broths.

Origin and history

The consumption of mushrooms of the genus Pleurotus in Mexico has been documented since pre-Hispanic times. Sahagun records in the Florentine Codex various wood-growing fungi consumed by the Mexica, possibly including Pleurotus djamor and related species. The ethnomycologist Gaston Guzman extensively described this genus in his field work in southeastern Mexico, where they receive regional names such as oreja de cantaria, oreja blanca, seta rosa or nanacatl in Nahuatl. The name cantaria comes from Spanish, probably in reference to the sound when fresh ears are split or to their shape of small trumpets, although it may also derive from cantaro because of its curved shape. In southeastern Mexico, in Veracruz and Oaxaca, it has been used by Totonac, Nahua and Zapotec peoples. SADER, through INIFAP, documents the controlled cultivation of Pleurotus djamor as a productive alternative for tropical Mexican regions, taking advantage of agricultural residues as substrate. Its culinary and nutritional value has been revalued in contemporary Mexican cuisine.

Characteristic ingredients

Pleurotus djamor is a basidiomycete fungus of the family Pleurotaceae that grows on trunks and dead branches of tropical and subtropical trees. Its caps are ear-, fan- or shell-shaped, measure between 5 and 15 centimetres in diameter and are arranged in overlapping groups, one on top of another. The colour of the cap varies from intense salmon pink in young mushrooms to pinkish beige or white in mature ones. Its gills are white and decurrent (they extend down the stem), and its stem is short and off-centre. The flesh is white, firm when young and more fibrous when mature. The flavour is delicate, sweet and slightly fruity, reminiscent of European wild mushrooms but with a unique profile. In Veracruz and Oaxacan cuisine it is prepared stewed with epazote, garlic and lard; in masa quesadillas with coriander and cheese; in mixiotes with chile guajillo and achiote; or sauteed with onion and serrano chilli. It is also used in soups with masa and in vegetarian preparations as a meat substitute.

Cultural significance

Oreja de cantaria is an emblem of the mycological richness of southeastern Mexico and an increasingly visible ingredient in contemporary cuisine. Its commercial cultivation, driven by institutions such as INIFAP and by rural cooperatives in Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca and Tabasco, has made it possible to turn a traditional wild mushroom into a sustainable productive alternative, especially for rural communities that use maize stover as a substrate. It forms part of the ethnomycological heritage implicitly included in the traditional Mexican cuisine recognised by UNESCO in 2010. Research by the Colegio de Posgraduados and INECOL highlights its nutritional value: it is rich in protein (20 to 30% in dry weight), dietary fibre, B-complex vitamins and minerals such as zinc and selenium. In the context of contemporary Mexican vegetarian and vegan cooking, oreja de cantaria has gained popularity as a protein alternative to meat, thanks to its fibrous texture and mild flavour that lends itself to stews, tacos and barbacoa-style vegetal preparations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between oreja de cantaria and other oyster mushrooms?

Oreja de cantaria is the pink variety of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus djamor), with a characteristic salmon colour when young. Other oyster mushrooms such as Pleurotus ostreatus are greyish or brown and grow in temperate climates, while oreja de cantaria thrives in tropical and subtropical climates. Its flavour is slightly fruitier and sweeter than that of European oysters.

What does oreja de cantaria taste like?

It has a delicate, slightly sweet flavour with a characteristic fruity background. The texture is meaty and fibrous, similar to a shredded breast, which makes it ideal for vegetarian preparations. It is neither bitter nor spicy. It combines very well with epazote, garlic, chile guajillo, coriander, lard and achiote in traditional southeastern Mexican preparations.

How is oreja de cantaria served?

It is prepared stewed with epazote, garlic and lard; in blue-masa quesadillas; in mixiotes with achiote and chile guajillo; sauteed with onion and serrano chilli; or as a base for vegetarian shredded tacos in barbacoa style. In Veracruz it is added to broths with maize masa and in Oaxaca it accompanies tlayudas. It is also used in empanadas and traditional southeastern soups.

Where is oreja de cantaria originally from?

It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of America, Africa and Asia. In Mexico it grows wild in humid forests of the southeast, especially in Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Puebla and the State of Mexico, on dead trunks of tropical trees. It is also commercially cultivated in many regions of the country, taking advantage of agricultural residues as a substrate for its production throughout the year.