Tuesday 14 September 2010

Swedish Mushroom Adventures

Early September in Sweden is an enchanting time of year. The damp air and moist forests feel ripe with autumnal life and even the grassy areas in town are sprouting mushrooms. Even if they have been carved out of tree stumps.

Mushroom carving

With the sun being slow to make its mind up as it politely debated with the clouds about who should bat first, I went for a run and landed up at the Saluhallen where I almost inevitably was drawn towards a man selling chanterelles (Kantareller) for a pittance. I snaffled a bagful and grinned as I felt their weight almost drop through the bottom of the paper bag and the change jangle in my running shorts' pocket.

Kantareller market

Chanterelles close

Chanterelles on toast

With my golden cargo and a loaf of honey rye sourdough I made my sweaty way home and cooked the most perfect breakfast of sautéed chanterelles on toasted sourdough topped with some creme fraiche and washed down with the best part of a whole pot of percolator coffee. All I needed to make it extra special was Cowie and a copy of the Guardian.

My weekend mushroom adventures continued on Sunday with a trip to the forest. With Alexandra's mushrooming knowledge and the advice from a day of foraging with John Wright of River Cottage HQ ringing in my ears and memories of playing mushroom roulette in Richmond Park we fearlessly tackled the mozzies and got stuck in. We found a wealth of half nibbled mushrooms snuggling into the light, sandy soil, sheltering beneath the branches of pine and birch trees.

I’m not sure what they all are, but where I’ve got an inkling I’ve included a caption. If you know what they are please let me know in a comment.

White mushroom woods

No idea what this one is. But it looked mean and evil.

Massive mushroom side

This monster, we think is ideal for eating. It’s either a cep, or another sort of bolete. It was just a shame that the slugs and maggots had got there first.

Fly agaric

And we saw these Fly Agaric by the dozen, as they flamboyantly lined the paths.

Mushroom collection

I returned home with an impressive clutch of well pored mushrooms which all seemed like they had edible potential, with the ominous exception of the black capped, long stemmed, example which resembled a grim reaper.

Mushroom 1 side

We were very worried about this one. It looked particularly evil.

Murshroom 5 side by side

These are called Slippery Jacks which are covered in a slimy cap which can cause indigestion. If you clean the cap the mushrooms themselves are rather good apparently. But their name is enough to put anyone off!

Mushroom 4 side

This one, I think, is a cep, which is called a Carl Johan in Sweden, and judging from the amount of holes must have been very tasty.

Mushroom 3 side

Mushroom 2 side

These two smelled good and when I took a small nibble didn’t taste bitter, but instead, rather impressive. And given that friends in the office and a few online experts suggested these would make for very good eating I plucked up the confidence to tuck in.

I decided to follow a recipe from Mark Hix’s new book “Hix Oyster and Chop House” and simply studded the ceps with slithers of garlic, coated them in butter and seasoning and then roasted them for 15 minutes before sprinkling with parsley and nervously tucking in.

Garlic studded mushrooms

Pores

Garlic studded roasted mushrooms

They were absolutely delicious. Soft, tender and buttery and without question, the most mushroomy thing I’ve ever eaten. I am sure they tasted even better because there was a chance I’d identified them wrong and there was a vague possibility that this could be my last meal. If I suddenly drop down dead, please come and find me armed with whatever anti-toxins I require!

Further reading:

Funghi Forays - sign up for their excellent newsletters
Carl Johan on Wikipedia
The Good Food Mood Blog on chanterelles on toast
Beginners' guide to picking chanterelles in Gothenburg Daily newspaper

9 comments:

Anna Johnston said...

Not sure how I stumbled across your blog, but loved your Swedish Mushroom Adventure, must say though your very brave to have eaten them. Lovely photos.

Dan said...

Bloody hell Browners, rather you than me mate. The idea of foraging and eating wild mushrooms appeals to me immensely...but shouldn't you be a bit more sure that what you've collected isn't errr...deadly?
Glad you survived to tell the tale!

Northern Snippet said...

It must be a good year for wild mushrooms,we've recently found a huge amount of Ceps close to where we live,collecting them is quite addictive.Found lots of other stuff too but even with a book its still a bit nervy identifying them.Agree Ceps are delicious.

Jonathan said...

@Anna Johnston - Glad you stumbled across it and glad you liked the post and photos. Hope you come back soon!

@Dan - Maybe I was a bit reckless. Especially when the same night a man in Gothenburg died from eating a deadly mushroom. His kidney's just stopped working! But to be fair an expert looked at the pictures and gave me the all clear. But I still felt very nervous.

@Northern Snippet - I am a bit better with UK mushrooms so I was pretty wary over in Sweden. But luckily it worked out well. It's a great year for mushrooms. I intend to get stuck in.

Ellie said...

There is something so romantic about going out and picking chanterelles and coming home to cook them for breakfast. Oh to live near a forest!

Hollow Legs said...

You're a braver man than me.

Oh, chanterelles! How gorgeous they are. In Selfridges food hall the other day (not that I shop there often, mind) they were being sold for something silly like £45 / kilo.

Wen said...

Bloody brilliant. That is all.

Helen said...

Blimey Browners! You are a brave man. I would be absolutely bricking myself that those shrooms would be my last, as you say. Well done on not dying! Look delicious, though.

Jonathan said...

@Ellie - I spent the weekend sleeping in a mud hut that had bolete mushrooms growing out of the roof. It was amazing!

@Lizzie - Pfff. That's Selfridges for you. They're pretty much free over here. Should probably be less brave!

@Wen - Thanks!

@Helen - Thanks. Did my best not to die!

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