Mushroom season is still underway, with milder Winters we are seeing more for longer.
For this recipe, I chose to use Velvet Shanks/Flammulina Velutipes.
This mushroom thrives in the winter and even a frost so when others can't be found this little chap can be. So, now's a great time to pop your warm clothes on and get hunting.
Though here in the UK we don't use pickled mushrooms often, our European cousins do. They can capture the season and are easily tossed together, yet have a luxurious, sophisticated flare to them.
You can use any mushroom you choose for this recipe, porcini, oyster, chanterelles or even shop-bought will work well here too, or why not mix them?
Whatever you decide this will definitely have your friends wanting more.
Pair with breads, cheese, olives, and meats, on pizza and in pasta. The choice is yours, be as creative as you desire.
Pickled Wild Mushroom Recipe
For this recipe, you're going to need a 500ml canning jar with a lid, make sure this is cleaned with hot soapy water and dried thoroughly.
Ingredients
227g Velvet shanks (or preferred mushroom)
1/2 tsp Alexander seeds (we will talk about these later in the year, black peppercorns will be fine here also)
1/2 tsp of Sea salt-coarse
10 Sprigs of fresh thyme
4 Unpeeled garlic cloves
1/2 Cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Cup of red wine vinegar
Method
- If using Velvet Shanks, remove the stems on the larger older ones. (If using meaty mushrooms the stems can remain as long as they are firm. Slice larger mushrooms)
- In a saucepan heat 1/4 of oil and 1/4 of vinegar, and set the rest aside. Add the alexander seeds, salt, thyme and garlic and bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes to release all the flavours.
- Reduce the heat, add the mushrooms and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
- Pop the mushrooms and hot liquor into your jar, add the remaining oil and vinegar, cover loosely with the lid, and let it cool down. Once cooled, seal the jar and store it in a fridge or cool place for 24/48hrs. The flavours will come together and intensify. If placed in the fridge the oil will solidify but it will liquefy once bought back to room temperature before serving.
- Once opened keep in the fridge for up to 3 months. Unopened they will remain good for up to a year. They can be stored In the cupboard unopened.
Velvet Shank ID Features
Season… Late November to April.
Height… 3cm with a cap capable of reaching 10cm.
Cap…Vibrant orange, yellow with a brown hue, darker in the middle. The caps are slimy to the touch.
Gills....White but turning pale yellow with age. Not all gills reach the stem and the lengths may differ slightly. Not crowded though.
Stem…The early stems begin life pale yellow but with age, they become dark brown sometimes black, with a velvet touch on maturity.
Where to find them...Velvet shanks favour dead stumps and trunks of Elm, but are also known to use Beech, Oak and Hawthorn as its host.
Possible confusion…They can be confused with Funeral Bells; however, these have a skirt on the stem (use the picture for reference, from wild food UK). A spore print is also useful here. You will be looking for an off-white print. They must also be cooked.
Cross-referencing any mushroom is vital if you are confident or you can ask Forage: UK on Facebook for ID help, please don't consume until you are 100% satisfied.
Fun Fact......Velvet shanks are the wild cousins of the cultivated Enoki-Enokitake Mushroom. But this version is white, and thin with a tiny cap due to its growing condition. Flammulina velutipes means.…very small flame and when you see these vibrant chaps you will be sure to know why.
Gemma
p.s If you are a Plate & Bowl subscriber don't forget to redeem your 20% discount off my foraging courses on the Wirral during March and April. Contact me quoting P&BOWL23
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