Every year, after the first rain, wild mushrooms begin to take over restaurant menus.
By ISAAC MASSIASWild mushrooms(photo credit: AYA MASSIAS)
When autumn arrives in Andalusia, the wild mushrooms arrive with it.Gathering, cooking, preserving and preparing wild mushroom delicacies are part of the Andalusian routine.Because these luscious mushrooms appear only in autumn, there is an urgency during the season to properly preserve these local treasures.Wild mushrooms are extremely varied and abundant in Andalusia, due to the optimal weather conditions of very hot summers yet very wet and damp winters. Mushrooms have proven health benefits, are low in both calories and fat, and surprisingly are also very tasty.Every year, after the first rain, wild mushrooms begin to take over restaurant menus. Throughout the abundant white villages of the region, the most common mushrooms to be found in restaurants are ceps, also known as porcini or, in Spanish, revellos; chanterelles; niscalos, also known as saffron milk-caps, and the red pine mushroom are also plentifully displayed on restaurant menus.Any of these varieties can be sautéed with a touch of garlic butter and a drizzle of white wine and extra-virgin olive oil, or even cooked in a beef stew to add both a delicious taste and a lovely texture.The pinatell mushrooms, usually found under pine trees, are extremely flavorsome. They are orange, have a vase-shaped appearance, are soft and slightly chewy in texture and consist of a very sticky head. They are extremely popular and must be picked in the first week after the first rain, because they rot rapidly. This specific type of mushroom makes a mouthwatering, almost meaty-textured omelette.My wife, Aya, and I enjoy waking up early on autumn weekends to search for the pinatell mushrooms in our local forest, Pinar del Rey. We pick fresh, damp mushrooms for breakfast, clean them well as soon as we get home and make the most wonderful mushroom omelette for the family.I must mention that one must be aware that poisonous mushrooms often grow beside the perfectly edible ones, and these are unfortunately very easily confused. Be aware of this before eating just any mushroom you find in nature; indeed, if you are planning a wild mushroom hunting trip in Spain or elsewhere, make sure you have someone with you who has basic wild mushroom knowledge.Today’s recipes are: a rice with a selection of wild mushroom and fresh rosemary; baby chicken thighs with wild mushrooms, red wine, fresh wild mountain sage and whole garlic cloves; and finally a creamy wild mushroom and basil quiche.The writer is a trained chef from the Savoy Hotel London and former owner of restaurants in Israel and New York. Today, he and his wife run Yaya Food & Travel Ltd. www.jewishheritagetourseurope.com; massiasisaac@yahoo.esWild mushrooms with creamy rice Serves 6 as an appetizer■ 1 kg. mixed wild mushrooms (pinatell, porcini, chanterelle, saffron milk-cap), roughly chopped■ 2 cups risotto rice■ 4 cups vegetable stock (preferably boiling)■ 1 small onion, finely chopped■ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped■ 1 cup fresh cream■ 1 cup dry white wine■ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil■ 50 gr. butter■ ¼ cup fresh chopped rosemary■ 50 gr. Parmesan cheese, finely grated■ Sea salt and black pepper, to tasteBoil the stock. Place a medium-size pot on the fire and, when hot, add the olive oil, onion, garlic and chopped rosemary. After 5 minutes add all the mushrooms, while stirring the ingredients with a wooden spoon. Cook for 10 minutes and then add half of the rice, a cup of the stock and half of the cream. Cook and mix. When all the liquid has evaporated, add the rest of the rice, another cup of the stock, the rest of the cream and all of the wine, stirring all the time. Finally add the rest of the stock.The rice will be very creamy, with a fantastic aroma from the rosemary and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste.Once the rice is soft and all the liquid has evaporated, add the butter and mix well. Serve immediately. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on each portion and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil on top.Baby chicken thighs with wild mushrooms Serves 4■ 8 baby chicken thighs■ 20 garlic cloves (peeled and whole)■ ½ cup wild mountain sage leaves■ 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil■ 1 cup dry red wine (good quality)■ 500 gr. wild mushrooms (pinatell, porcini, chanterelle, saffron milk-cap)Place a large, heavy pot on the fire. When hot, add the olive oil and start sautéing the garlic and half of the sage leaves. When brown, remove them (this is so that the oil absorbs all the taste of the garlic and sage).Add the thighs and cook for 20 minutes, moving them as you proceed. Add the mushrooms, sage and wine. Cook for an extra 15 minutes. The thighs will take on a lovely dark color and the aroma will be unbelievable. Add the garlic and sage you sautéed earlier. Leave 5 minutes to rest in the pot and then serve.I love this dish served with a couple of fried eggs and nicely prepared French fries, a good glass of red wine or a cold beer in the summer.Wild mushroom and basil quiche■ 1 kg. wild mushrooms (saffron milk-caps, pinatell, porcini, chanterelle)■ 300 gr. quiche dough (you can buy in supermarket)■ 1 large onion, thinly sliced■ 1 medium-size red pepper, thinly sliced■ 4 garlic cloves, chopped■ ½ cup dry white wine■ ½ cup fresh basil, chopped■ ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil■ 4 eggs■ 250 gr. fresh cream, 42% fat■ 250 gr. whole milk■ 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard■ 200 gr. grated cheese (mozzarella and Parmesan, mixed)■ Sea salt and pepper, to tastePut the olive oil into a medium-size pan on the fire. When hot, add the onion, red pepper, garlic and mix well. When vegetables are light brown, add the mushrooms.Cook for 15 minutes and add the wine. Cook for an extra 10 minutes and remove from the fire.Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of around 5 cm. Use a rolling pin to lift the dough up and place it over a Pyrex container or tart pan, so that there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. With a fork, prick the base of the pastry. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.With an electric mixer or food processor, mix the eggs, cream, milk, Dijon, salt and pepper. Add the mushroom mixture into the egg and cream mixture and mix well. Once the dough has cooled, tip the filling into the tart pan, sprinkle on top the cheese and fresh basil and bake for 45 minutes in a medium-hot oven until dough is golden brown and filling is hard.Serve hot with a refreshing green salad.
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