Oh man it's been a great season for saffron milk cap mushrooms, common in pine forests round here. ON the way back from a trip to country Victoria we stopped past a reservoir and picked a metric ton of them. In fact, I'd been picking them for weeks and weeks, even going on the bicycle to a 'secret' local spot I found.
I think it's crazy how many people shy away from wild mushrooms. They're a fantastic food source, particularly saffies, as it doesn't take many to make a hearty meal, and they don't taste particularly shroomie or fall apart and get soggy. Everyone wants to mention Erin Patterson, the lady who poisoned her family with death caps, rather than the fact mushrooms have been eaten for our entire history. In fact, there's theories that mushrooms helped our brains evolve, creating neural pathways that other food couldn't - although that might be a different kind of mushroom, like the blue meanies I found in the same secret spot.
Now, I have cooked saffies a variety of ways - fried in garlic butter or thrown in a hearty soup, but I have to say, roasting them is next level good - they become alsmot caramelised at the end and when browned well, the flavour becomes richer, especially if you add olive oil and a sprinkle of spices. Do turn them over half way through.
I roasted mine with a delicious spice mix which was a blend of dried miso, porcini, and a smoky chilli and black lime. Whilst above I used garlic cloves, it's really nice with chopped onion or garlic tops as well.
As saffies are a great meat substitute, think of how to serve them - in our case, tacos are a common choice. THe texture is almost like beef too. For this occasion, we layered them on sourdough olive bread and topped with a sinful french raclette which is very robust and melts beautiful. A gruyere or gouda would also work well.
There's no limit to how one can use saffies - and you definitely can't poison your relatives with them. They're all the more satisfying for being foraged and free rather than paying $58 a kilo at the markets. Even my reluctant nephews had a go when I dropped a bag off at my sisters - and are now converted, bless them for trying.
With Love,
