Working with mushrooms can be a dirty business. The fungi usually are grown in compost, necessitating a thorough cleaning before use in a recipe. But because they act like sponges, they shouldn't soak in water. Here's how we prefer to clean them.

For small mushrooms, put them in a bowl and fill it up with water. Then quickly but gently rub them all over with your hands to remove any dirt. The dirt will settle to the bottom of the bowl, and you can lift the mushrooms out of the water and pat them dry with paper towels. (Large mushrooms, such as portobellos, can be rinsed and gently rubbed under cool running water.) Try out this technique in Chicken Soup with Garlic Aïoli.