Bolete Mushroom Foraging and Zhulien

Fall is synonymous with apple picking, but have you tried mushroom foraging? Back home, mushroom hunting and preserving is a national pastime.

Here in Ontario, come autumn, summer’s mountain-bike riders and bushwalkers are replaced by Eastern European families, who arrive with barbecues, baskets and an eye for fungi. Their motivation is not only a chance to score some delicious mushrooms for free, but to also relive the old traditions and, most importantly, to connect with nature and discover its bounty.

Once you find a good mushroom spot, you’ll be down on your hands and knees, slicing the mushrooms from their stems, brushing the dirt and pine needles from the caps, and collecting them in your quickly filling basket. Foraging for mushrooms is a lovely euphoria of discovery nature’s creations.

One of my favorite mushrooms to collect are bolete mushrooms. My mouth waters just at the thought of the fragrant, earthy fungi sizzling in a pan with butter and caramelized onions. These flavorful mushrooms with forest flavors in every bite are far more mushroom-y than the white button ones we see year-round at the grocery store.

I learned that most bolete mushrooms don’t have the evil twins that some mushrooms do and they are pretty easy to identify. They grow in groups near larch trees and have a sponge-like surface on the underside of the cap – tiny pores, rather than gills. But if you are not sure if it is a bolete or not, leave it alone. Lots of mushrooms are poisonous and can do serious harm to your body if ingested. It’s important to know the mushroom by doing your homework. Buy an identification guide before you go picking (and eating!) wild mushrooms. Or better yet, find someone who knows the forest and mushrooms and ask them to teach you. Full disclosure – pick at your own risk!

When you find a little patch of boletes, walk around carefully, since they’re often partially hidden underneath the pine needles on the forest floor and if you see one, there are likely others nearby that are a bit covered.

My last few foraging trips have been quite successful and I’ve cooked a lot of boletes last week. Of all of the recipes I’ve tried, this Zhulien is my favorite. It’s absolutely delicious and can be served as either an appetizer or as a side dish. If you love mushrooms, this dish is perfect for you! If you don’t really like mushrooms, I still recommend that you try it. I’ve turned a lot of people into mushroom lovers with this dish!

Mushrooms are main ingredient and they make the dish , so choose flavorful wild ones like shiitake, chanterelles or get a mix of dried wild mushrooms from the store.

Ingredients:

1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped

2 small onions, minced

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp flour

1/2 cup goat cheese

1/2 cup swiss cheese, shredded

chives or parsley for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

Heat two separate skillets over medium high heat with olive oil and butter. In one pan, sauté onions until soft and translucent. In another pan, sauté the mushrooms until golden brown. Then combine mushrooms with onions and sauté for another few minutes together. Season with salt and pepper.

Add flour and mix well. Pour in the cream and stir until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and distribute the mixture evenly between the ramekins. Sprinkle first with goat cheese then with chives and top with shredded cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. and bake for 15 minutes. Then broil for another 2 minutes.

Zhulien is great as leftover dish and tastes even better on the second day. Simply reheat the ramekin under the broiler for couple minutes and enjoy with fresh bread or crackers.