Seta

Seta is the Spanish word for a mushroom, rather than the name of one particular species. The cooking advice depends on the kind of edible mushroom meant.

Brush off soil or wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth; if they need rinsing, do it quickly and dry them well. Slice or tear them, then fry in a hot pan with a little oil until browned and their released liquid has evaporated, usually 5–8 minutes.

Keep fresh mushrooms unwashed in a paper bag or a loosely covered container in the fridge, and use them within a few days. Cooked mushrooms can be refrigerated in a covered container and used within 3 days.

Some cultivated edible mushrooms are eaten raw, thinly sliced in salads, but seta can refer to many kinds, so do not eat it raw unless you know exactly what it is and that it is edible. Never eat a wild mushroom based on appearance alone.

Browned mushrooms work well in risotto, omelettes, pasta sauces and toast toppings. Add them to a hot pan in a single layer so they brown instead of steaming in their own liquid.

For a similar savoury, earthy role, use champignon mushrooms; slice them to a similar thickness and brown them before adding them to the dish. For a firmer bite, shiitake mushrooms are another option.

Seta is a broad Spanish term for mushroom, while champignon usually means the familiar cultivated button mushroom. So champignon is one kind of seta, not a completely separate food.