The king oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) is the largest of the oyster-mushroom clan and the only one whose prize is its STEM rather than its cap — a thick, club-shaped, ivory-white stalk of dense, fibrous flesh topped by a comparatively small, flat tan cap. Mild and gently savoury raw, it transforms under heat into something with a rich, almost abalone-or-scallop bite, which is why it has become the chef's favourite vegetarian stand-in for seared scallops and shredded "pulled" meat.