After a warm and dry European summer and some rainy days, it’s fun to see so many mushrooms, like this Chicken of the Wood (that’s what we think it is!). It’s not a mushroom we would buy; it can be chewy and acidic, even after cooking.
Autumn is clearly peak season for mushrooms. Typical autumn mushrooms are Chanterelle, Hen of the Woods (Mai Take), Saffron Milk Cap and Lion’s Mane. Depending of course on where you live!
But actually, there is no off-season for mushrooms. For instance in spring you will be able to buy fresh Morels, St. Georges Mushrooms and Fairy Ring Mushrooms. Winter brings Field Blewit, Truffles and Wood Ear. Cèpes (Porcini, King Bolete) are best in summer.
If you’re looking for useful mushroom recipes, then we suggest Antonio Carluccio’s The Quiet Hunt or Mushroom by Johnny Acton and Nick Sadler. Or look at our list of mushroom recipes.
Some of our favourite dishes for autumn:
- Saffron Milk Cap with Red Bell Pepper and Chorizo
- Mai Take with Mash, Tomato Confit and Lentils
- Quiche with Bay Boletes
- Cèpes à la Bordelaise
- Lion’s Mane with Shiitake
PS Never eat mushrooms without being 100% certain. Best to buy from your trusted re-seller.
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Mushroom hunting is fun but only with someone who knows his mushrooms.
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Couldn’t agree more! That’s why we buy them.
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That Cèpes à la Bordelaise and the Bay Bolete quiche sound absolute divine for an autumn dinner! 🍄 Cooking with wild mushrooms really brings out such deep flavor. Thanks for the wonderful cookbook recommendations!
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Pleasure!
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😊😊😊
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You have so many great mushroom recipes…I need to go to the upscale Citarella market to see the best of what they have and give one of your recipes and whirl!
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We’re sure you we will be able to buy some great seasonal mushrooms!
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Also, my Mom was an Emergency Medical Technician on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, and to add to what someone else said – she had many overdose cases from people who ate poisonous mushroom thing they were psychedelic
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Foraging wild mushrooms requires expertise and local knowledge. It can be very dangerous, even deadly, because some toxic mushrooms resemble edible ones. The best known example is the death cap, a mushroom that looks like the very tasty Caesar’s mushroom.
Best is to buy (wild) mushrooms from your trusted re-seller.
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Great point…I’m going to find the best I can here and adapt one of your recipes…will link to your and give all credit as well!
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Many thanks and good luck with your market-hunt!
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Thanks for this collection of mushroom recipes.
The chicken of the wood is great in fried patties, after shredding and mixing with eggs and some bread crumbs.
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Thanks, that’s an interesting idea! How do you season the patties?
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I haven’t had them in a while, but I used to mix them, after shredding, with a bit of sauteed onion, eggs and fresh herbs; then add enough breadcrumbs to help form the mixture into flat small cakes, and fry them lightly. They are great as an appetizer, with fresh goat cheese on top, or can be topped with tomato sauce. 🙂
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Sounds yummy! Will give it a try, thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for sharing the links. Fall is the perfect time for trying new mushroom recipes.
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It is! Happy mushroom season!
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