As promised in my last entry, Treasures of the forest, about my hikes into the forests of the Alps, where we collected dozens of different, delicious mushrooms, I bring up my first recipe. It’s the prime recipe if you have been successful on your hunt for the king of the mushrooms, Boletus edulis (Steinpilz, porcino, cèpe). You could use Champignons as well, the advantage: You don’t have to hike, you can have it all year long!
This dish is not comparable to all the other tasty dishes you can prepare when you have been successful, it’s easier to prepare and even more outstanding! The precondition: The mushrooms you use have to be in perfect condition, free of maggots and snails, with hard and fresh flesh. If you have older specimens as well, which are not in perfect condition, remove the sponge-parts and the skin on the cap, slice them thin and put those slices into the oven at around 70°C (160°F) for a couple of hours, while the oven is open a little bit so the humidty can escape. This makes sure all the insects and maggots inhabiting the mushrooms are killed – they crawl outta there and can be removed after the drying process. With the dried Boleti you can prepare Risotto for example, but this is another story…
You do not need lots of ingredients, parmesan cheese – which is available under the names Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano – some good native olive oil, half a lemon, parsley, sea-salt and black pepper. The less spice you use, the better you will taste the mushroom itself.
You have to use a sharp knife and slice the mushrooms very thin, not too thin, otherwise the pieces are going to break. In a little glas which can be closed or in Tupperware with a lid, you put 3 – 4 spoons of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, some sea-salt and a teaspoon of ultrafine chopped parsley – this amount is for one average sized Boletus. Close the lid and shake the glas to obtain a homogenous marinade.
When you have the slices, stratify the mushrooms, add cheese and black pepper, then drip marinade over all of it. Repeat that, as long as you have slices left – layer for layer. Like that the marinade can penetrate equally everywhere. And when you are done with that, leave the plate for about 20 minutes. After that: Enjoy this delicious and luxurious meal!
