Mushroom season has come and gone now in New Mexico.
Annually, we have an amazing 8~12 (if we're lucky!) weeks of fungi erupting from the ground. We find all sorts of incredible species, from Amanita Muscaria (pictured left), Sarcodon imbricatus aka Hawk's Wing Mushroom, Shaggy Manes, and even Saffron Milk Caps!
Annually, we have an amazing 8~12 (if we're lucky!) weeks of fungi erupting from the ground. We find all sorts of incredible species, from Amanita Muscaria (pictured left), Sarcodon imbricatus aka Hawk's Wing Mushroom, Shaggy Manes, and even Saffron Milk Caps!
Monsoon season brings folks from near and far seeking out delicious things growing from the ground.
I was very fortunate this year to bring in a few absolutely incredible hauls of King Boletes and process them into powder, soup, butter, and my personal favorite: pickled mushrooms.
These mushrooms are incredible, and the quality of the outcome here scales up drastically if you use higher quality ingredients. It's worth it.
Italian Style Preserved Boletes
The Stuff You Need
- 2-3lb of Boletes
- 1 quart of vinegar of your choice (I use white wine vinegar)
- Loads of Kosher Salt (don't use iodized or small grain salt!)
- Lemon twists from the peel of one lemon
- 2 dried thai chiles
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Mason Jars
How To Do It
- Cut the mushrooms to a standard size, this can be of your choosing, but remember that larger pieces means more time before you can eat them. I like to leave the button boletes whole, but dealers choice.
- A quick note: I tend to remove the pores from boletes as they get pretty slimy during nearly any cooking process. Your call!
- Put a thick layer of salt on a baking sheet and place the mushrooms on it. Sprinkle a hefty amount of salt across the tops of all mushrooms.
- Let them stand at room temperature for 60-90 minutes. They will release a huge amount of water during this time, it's normal!
- After waiting, use a dry kitchen towel and squeeze out some liquid as you can from the mushrooms. Don't hulk smash them, give them a nice massage.
- Bring your vinegar to a boil in a saucepan, then add the mushrooms for 5~ minutes.
- You might need to add more vinegar here, depends on how many mushies you are using. The goal is to keep them submerged for the entire boil.
- Lay the mushrooms in a single layer on a cloth, covering with a second cloth to dry overnight. This will take between 12 and 24 hours depending on how much air circulation you have, and your ambient humidity. Do not put them in the oven or dehydrator. They'll turn to rubber.
- After an incredibly long night, toss the mushrooms and all seasonings in a bowl to coat.
- Let them sit a few minutes, then put them tightly packed into mason jars.
- Cover with olive oil and refrigerate for at least a month before eating.