Pickled Wild Mushrooms

This is an easy recipe for a SMALL batch of pickled mushrooms. You can use the wild mushrooms on their own, or mix in with store bought if preferred. 

INGREDIENTS

230 g wild mushrooms*

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red grape vinegar

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1/4 tsp dried thyme

500 ml glass jar (sterilized)

METHOD

1. Clean and cut the mushrooms into pieces. Keep aside.

2. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, peppercorns and thyme to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. The liquid might seem too little, but it's not. 

3. Add the mushrooms. Keep turning the mushrooms. Boil for 2 minutes. Then turn down the heat and simmer for 2 minutes more, keep stirring the mushrooms. 

4. Then add the mushrooms and the boiling liquid to the jar. Add the remaining vinegar and oil. 

5. Cover with foil and leave to cool down. Remove foil.  Seal tightly with the lid and put in the fridge. Refrigerate for 24 t0 48 hours before eating. Best to leave for a week or two before consuming. The longer you wait the better it gets!

NOTES;

I used Suillus granulatus (weeping boletes)  and some Portobello mushrooms for this recipe, but you can any fleshy wild mushrooms such as pine rings; horse mushrooms; field mushrooms; porcini; poplar bolete or even blushers (if you are feeling brave and know your mushrooms!)

You must must know the difference between Blushers (Amanita rubescens), and Panthers (Amanita pantherina) - both are deadly, 🕱 

The blusher, although deadly, are edible, when cooked correctly. 

Even after 8 years of mushroom foraging and knowing how to identify a blusher, I am still too scared to try it in cooking! Rather not. But people say it's very good 😂