Etymology
The French and Latin names come from the Greek "pleura" meaning "side," and "ous, otos" meaning "ear."

Description
Edible basidiomycete mushroom with a funnel-shaped cap which can reach 12 cm in diameter. The stem is short and off-center.

The oyster mushroom grows from October to March on dead wood or on the trunks of deciduous trees. The shell-shaped or oyster-shaped varieties of this mushroom have white flesh, but their cap may be white, pink, yellow, gray or dark brown. The color depends on the variety and the growing conditions. Young oyster mushrooms have a cap which ranges in colour from dark gray to steel blue; when mature, they turn pale brown. Under the cap are white or pale grey gills.

Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 37, carbohydrates: 6.22 g, fat: 0.51 g, water: 87.76 g, protein: 4.14 g, fiber: 2.4 g.
Rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, selenium, vitamins A and B.

Buying
Check the base of the stem: if it’s nice and white, buy the mushrooms – if it’s yellowish, don’t. It means the mushrooms are drying out. Young oyster mushrooms are the tenderest. They should be neither too wet nor too dry, and the cap should be as complete as possible.
It’s important to remove any white filaments – an obvious sign of aging, since oyster mushrooms continue to grow after being picked, forming mycelia.
Oyster mushrooms should be firm (not sticky) and plump (with no wrinkles). They should show no signs of red or green marks and have a pleasant smell. Their characteristic aroma is slightly anise-like.
Note that when you cook them, oyster mushrooms reduce considerably… something to bear in mind when buying them. 

Storing
Oyster mushrooms are probably the most perishable of mushrooms and of vegetables in general. They should be stored between 1 and 4 ° C. The container in which they’re kept should be neither tightly closed nor too open. Under these conditions, they will keep for up to two weeks after being picked.

Preparing
Oyster mushrooms should not be cut unless you are chopping them. You can simply separate them by pulling gently on the edge of the cap to remove it from the stem.
If the stem is too tough, remove it and cook it first or chop it.

Cooking
Firm and flavorful, oyster mushrooms prefer to be well cooked, and make a good accompaniment to meats, white fishes and scallops.
Oyster mushrooms can be cooked in a pan with or without fat, but always on low heat to start, in order to "sweat" them. When their cooking water has evaporated, they can then be braised or sautéed or added to stews. Firm and flavourful, oyster mushrooms need to be well-cooked and make a delicious accompaniment to meats, whitefish and scallops. Since the stem is tougher, it is better to remove it and cook it first, or chop it up.

The Worldwide Gourmet
Hungary - oyster mushroom goulash - sauté oyster mushrooms, onion and garlic in butter. Add vegetable stock, diced potatoes, bayleaf, cumin and tomato purée. Cover and let cook 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Heat paprika in a spoonful of butter and stir into the goulash.

Greece - barbecued - cook gill-side down first. Turn, sprinkle with Greek olive oil, fresh lemon juice and sea salt.