Tag: saffron milk cap

Saffron Milk Cap with Octopus and Tomatoes

30 October 2025

Saffron Milk Cap with Chorizo and roasted Bell Pepper is one of our favourites. More recently we followed a recipe by Antonio Carluccio for a combination with Halibut. Another great combination. They can also be combined with Squid, with gamba and with Potatoes and Eggplant.
Saffron Milk Caps (Rovelló de Botó) are very popular in Spain. The picture below shows fresh Saffron Milk Caps on the Mercado Central in Valencia. Thinking about Spain we came up with the idea of combining the mushroom with octopus.

Wine Pairing

We opened a bottle of Domaine Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet. Picpoul de Pinet (Son terroir c’est la mer) is a white wine from the South of France between Narbonne and Montpellier. The terroir (think calcareous soil) is influenced by the sea, which is reflected in the mineral taste of the wine. The story is that Picpoul could be read as pique poul which translates into something like ‘stings the lip’; a nice reflection of the high acidity of the grapes. This acidity guarantees a refreshing white wine, which is exceptional given the warm climate. The wine is bright yellow with a very subtle touch of green. It’s aromatic, floral and fruity. The taste has notes of citrus and apple.
In general we suggest drinking a refreshing, unoaked white wine that goes well with seafood.

What You Need

  • For the Sauce
    • 4 Tomatoes
    • 1 Shallot
    • 1 Garlic Clove
    • Red Wine
    • Thyme
    • Olive Oil
  • 150 grams of Saffron Milk Cap
  • 200 grams of pre-cooked Octopus Tentacles
  • Parsley
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Olive Oil

What You Do

  1. Peel, seed and dice the tomatoes.
  2. Don’t discard the skin and the seeds: use a strainer to get as much tomato juice as possible
  3. Chop the shallot
  4. Chop the garlic finely
  5. Heat a skillet, add olive oil and add the shallot.
  6. Fry for a few minutes
  7. Add garlic and tomatoes
  8. Reduce heat
  9. After a few minutes add the tomato juice, half a glass of red wine and thyme
  10. Leave to simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until the sauce is ready both in flavour and texture
  11. Cool and transfer to the refrigerator
  12. The next day clean the mushrooms and slice (not too thin)
  13. Chop the parsley
  14. Heat a skillet, add olive oil
  15. Add the sliced mushroom
  16. Fry for one minute
  17. Reduce heat
  18. In parallel grill the pre-cooked octopus tentacles (4-6 minutes)
  19. Add the tomato mixture to the pan with mushrooms and cook for a few minutes
  20. Taste and add cayenne pepper. You’re looking for a fairly sharp, spicy taste
  21. Add parsley to the mixture and combine
  22. Slice the octopus
  23. After a few minutes add octopus to the mixture without combining,
Saffron Milk Cap are combined with a rich tomato sauce and then grilld Octopus Tentacles are added ©cadwu
Fresh Saffron Milk Cap ©cadwu

Saffron Milk Cap and Halibut

9 October 2025

Earlier we wrote about Antonio Carluccio’s A Passion for Mushrooms, published in 1989. The book includes some wonderful recipes and intriguing combinations. The book also includes a chapter on conservation techniques. We prepared two dishes from the book, Sandwiched Parasol Mushrooms and Halibut with Saffron Milk Cap.
A Passion for Mushrooms is a must have for mushroom-lovers. The book is available via the usual channels and perhaps at your local second-hand bookstore. Prices will vary.

Halibut with Saffron Milk Cap

We were keen to read his chapter on mushrooms and fish because the combination is both challenging and surprising. We spotted a recipe with saffron milk cap, a popular mushroom in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Scotland, Poland, Russia and many other European countries. Earlier we combined it with chorizo, with squid and we prepared a stew with eggplant and potatoes. Carluccio used the mushrooms to create a rich, creamy mushroom sauce which he combined with poached halibut. The fish is supported by the flavours and texture of the mushrooms and vice versa. Is it about saffron milk cap or about halibut? Absolutely delicious.

Wine Pairing

We opened a bottle of Rosenstock Grüner Veltliner, produced by Markus Huber in the Traisental region in Austria. Markus Huber is a young, internationally successful winemaker. The vineyards and the winery are organic and sustainable. He made a fresh, dry, fruity and aromatic white wine. Great accompaniment of the fish and the light character of the wine worked also very well with the rich mushroom sauce.
In general we suggest a light, refreshing, aromatic white wine.

What You Need
  • Filet of Halibut (skin on)
  • Butter
  • For the sauce
    • Saffron Milk Cap
    • Shallot
    • All Purpose Flour
    • Butter
    • Fish Stock
    • Vegetable Stock
    • Double Cream
    • Parsley
    • Dill
    • Mint
    • Mustard
    • Black Pepper
  • Crusted Bread
What You Do

Details of the recipe can be found in A Passion for Mushrooms. Buy the book and enjoy this dish and many more!

  1. Clean the mushrooms and slice.
  2. Chop the shallot finely.
  3. Chop and combine equal quantities of parsley, mint and dill.
  4. Add olive oil to a heavy iron skillet and fry the shallot.
  5. After a few minutes add the mushrooms. Reduce heat and fry for 5-10 minutes.
  6. Remove the shallot and the mushrooms from the pan.
  7. Use flour, butter and stock to make a basic sauce.
  8. Allow to integrate for a few minutes.
  9. The sauce should have a clear but not overpowering fish flavour.
  10. Add cream and mustard to the sauce. Mix.
  11. Add half of the herbs to the sauce. Mix.
  12. Add the mushrooms to the sauce.
  13. If necessary, add more stock to the sauce. Taste.
  14. In parallel, add butter to a non-stick pan and fry the halibut, skin down.
  15. When nearly done, turn the fish, colour the meat side, remove the skin and turn again.
  16. The sauce should be ready by now, so add the remainder of the herbs and some black pepper.
  17. Serve the fish on top of the sauce.
  18. Serve with crusted bread or steamed new potatoes.
Saffron Milk Cap and Halibut ©cadwu
Saffron Milk Cap and Halibut ©cadwu

Saffron Milk Cap with Eggplant and Potatoes

17 October 2024

The Saffron Milk Cap is a popular mushroom in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Scotland, Poland, Russia and many other countries. In Spain they are combined with garlic and parsley, in Turkey with spinach to make börek or used in a rich tomato stew and in Poland and Russia they are salted with herbs such as dill and caraway. We have prepared them with red bell peppers and chorizo and squid.
We love the flavour of the Saffron Milk Cap (mild, nutty, a touch peppery) and since they keep their texture when cooked we wanted to use them in a stew. We combined the mushrooms with egg plant and potatoes. It worked very well: the aromas and taste of the mushrooms with the slight bitterness of the egg plant and the generous flavour of the potatoes cooked in vegetable stock. During the cooking process the potatoes will become more yellow thanks to the Saffron Milk Cap. Beautiful, delicious (as in Lactarius Deliciosus) and uplifting.

Wine Pairing

We decided to enjoy a glass of Chardonnay, produced by Mont Clou, Spain. The wine has aged ‘sur lie’, which means that the wine remained in contact with (dead) yeast cells, grape skin and other remainders of the grapes. The effect of this way of ageing is that the wine will become more complex and more flavourful. Champagne is an example of a wine aged ‘sur lie’.
The chardonnay from Mont Clou has aromas of ripe fruit, pineapple perhaps? Its flavour is round, soft and a touch oaky. A very nice accompaniment of the stew. In general you’re looking for a medium bodied, fruity, white wine, preferably with some oak.

What You Need
  • 150 grams of Saffron Milk Cap
  • One small Shallot
  • One Garlic Clove
  • One Potato (waxy)
  • One small Egg Plant
  • Paprika (Powder)
  • Chilli Powder
  • 250 ml Vegetable Stock
  • Parsley
  • Olive Oil
  • Crusted Bread
What You Do

Slice the eggplant and quarter each slice. Wash the potato and quarter. Clean the mushrooms and quarter. You want the eggplant, potato and mushrooms chunks to be of similar size. Chop the shallot and the garlic, not too fine. Fry the eggplant in a non-stick pan with lots of olive oil until golden. Set aside. Glaze the shallot in a heavy iron skillet. When ready, add the garlic. Wait a few minutes, then add the mushroom. Fry for a few minutes. Add the potato and fry for another few minutes. Add the paprika and chilli powder. Make sure everything is coated with spices and olive oil. Add the eggplant and the vegetable stock. Allow to cook for 30 minutes or until the potato is ready. You may want to add some water and mix, so check every 5 or 10 minutes. Two minutes before serving add some chopped parsley. Mix.
Serve with crusted bread.

PS

More mushroom recipes on our mushroom page.

Saffron Milk Cap with Eggplant and Potatoes ©cadwu
Saffron Milk Cap with Eggplant and Potatoes ©cadwu

Mushroom Season

19 October 2023

So far this year’s mushroom season has been great with lots of delicious Cèpes, Bay Boletes, Birch Boletes and Chanterelles. This Saturday we bought a very tasty autumn Truffle and a day earlier we treated ourselves to Matsu Take. Such a special mushroom. We’re waiting for the Saffron Milk Cap, Spain’s favourite mushroom, and the Caesar’s mushroom, a mushroom much appreciated in Italy. 

Since it’s a great year for the Bay Bolete, we thought it would be nice to share some recipes with this mushroom. Its taste is similar to that of the Cèpes or Penny Bun. Perhaps more intense?

Pâté with Mushrooms ©cadwu
Pâté with Mushrooms ©cadwu

Pâté en Croûte

A few years ago we celebrated the mushroom season by preparing a Pâté with bay boletes. The combination of a crispy crust, a structured, colourful filling and various flavours is always a pleasure. It’s good fun to think about the ingredients, work on the construction and enjoy the wonderful aromas from your oven while baking the pâté. And the joy when slicing it: is the pâté as beautiful as you expected it to be?

A red, medium bodied wine will be a great accompaniment of this Pâté en Croûte. In general you’re looking for a red wine with aromas of black fruit, floral notes and delicate wood. The tannins should be soft or well-integrated. We enjoyed a glass of Pinot Noir from La Cour Des Dames. 

Bay Boletes with Veal and Sage ©cadwu
Bay Boletes with Veal and Sage ©cadwu

Sauce

Earlier this year we prepared a rich sauce with bay boletes, sage, mustard en crème fraîche. We served the sauce with excelltn veal rib eye and turnip cabbage. The turnip brings frsshness and lightness to the dish, creating a lovely balance.
A fruity, slightly chilled red wine will be great with the dish. We opened a bottle of German Spätburgunder from the Pfalz area. Some dark fruit, strawberries, touch of earthiness, not too complex. One that supported the flavours and aromas of the dish very well.

Guineafowl and Bay Bolete ©cadwu
Guineafowl and Bay Bolete ©cadwu

Guineafowl

Bay boletes combine very well with guineafowl. The meat is leaner, somewhat darker and more flavourful compared to chicken. It is not difficult to prepare, but due to the low-fat content you must be careful not to overcook. In this recipe we use guineafowl supreme (the breast fillet with the skin on plus the wing bone), rosemary, thyme, pancetta and garlic.
Enjoy with a glass of Chiroubles, a cru from the Beaujolais, produced by Domaine Montangeron. The wine has floral notes, aromas of cherries and strawberries. Its colour is pale ruby. Rich, elegant and long. It brings freshness and fruitiness to the dish and is sufficiently complex to remain present when enjoying the guineafowl and the bay bolete.
In general you’re looking for a red wine with freshness, fruity aromas and complexity. Perhaps a Pinot Noir?

More recipes on our website dedicated to mushrooms.

Bay Boletes ©cadwu
Guineafowl and Bay Bolete ©cadwu
Bay Boletes with Veal and Sage ©cadwu
Summer Truffle and Egg ©cadwu
Saint George's Mushroom ©cadwu
Fairy Ring Mushroom with Udon ©cadwu
Matsutake on the market ©cadwu
Matsutake with Chrysanthemum ©cadwu
Fresh Saffron Milk Cap ©cadwu
Saffron Milk Cap ©cadwu
Fresh Mai Take ©cadwu
Fairy Ring Mushrooms ©cadwu
Parasol Mushrooms alla Milanese ©cadwu
Young Parasol Mushrooms ©cadwu
Summer Truffle - Rippitippi / Public domain

Saffron Milk Cap with Squid and Tomatoes

1 November 2022

It’s nearly the end of the season for this delicious mushroom. And what better idea than to close the season with a new recipe! Normally we would combine Saffron Milk Cap with Chorizo and roasted Bell Pepper. Thinking more about Spain and its markets (the one in Valencia is our all-time favourite) we came up with the idea of combining the mushroom with fish? Or gambas? Or perhaps squid?

Wine Pairing

We opened a bottle of Domaine Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet 2021. Picpoul de Pinet (Son terroir c’est la mer) is a white wine from the South of France between Narbonne and Montpellier. The terroir (think calcareous soil) is influenced by the sea, which is reflected in the mineral taste of the wine. The story is that Picpoul could be read as pique poul which translates into something like ‘stings the lip’; a nice reflection of the high acidity of the grapes. This acidity guarantees a refreshing white wine, which is exceptional given the warm climate. The wine is bright yellow with a very subtle touch of green. It’s aromatic, floral and fruity. The taste has notes of citrus and apple.
In general we suggest drinking a refreshing, unoaked white wine that goes well with seafood.

What You Need

  • For the Squid
    • 150 grams of Squid
    • 4 Tomatoes
    • One Garlic Clove
    • Red Wine
    • Thyme
    • Olive Oil
  • 150 grams of Saffron Milk Cap
  • Parsley and or Celery Leaves
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Olive Oil

What You Do

The day before serving: clean the squid. Slice (not too thin). Peel, seed and dice the tomatoes, use a strainer to get as much tomato juice as possible. Chop the garlic finely. Heat a skillet, add olive oil and add the sliced squid. Fry for a few minutes, add the garlic and the tomatoes. Reduce the heat. After a few minutes add the tomato juice, half a glass of red wine and thyme. Leave to simmer for 2 hours or until the squid is ready both in flavours and texture. Cool and transfer to the refrigerator.

The next day clean the mushroom and slice (not too thin). Chop the parsley and or celery leaves. Heat a skillet, add olive oil and add the sliced mushroom. Fry for one minute, then reduce heat. Add the squid mixture and cook for a few minutes. Taste and add cayenne pepper. You’re looking for a fairly sharp, spicy taste. Add half of the chopped parsley/celery. After a few minutes serve the mixture and garnish with parsley/celery. The idea is to have a mixture (not a sauce) of squid and mushrooms, coated with tomatoes. 

Saffron Milk Cap with Squid ©cadwu
Fresh Saffron Milk Cap ©cadwu

Saffron Milk Cap with Red Bell Pepper and Chorizo

24 October 2022

This mushroom is absolutely delicious, which is reflected in its Latin name Lactarius deliciosus. When you cut a thin slice of the stem, you will see the intense, orange colored milk of the mushroom.
The mushroom may be a bit green, which is the result of bruising, so nothing to worry about. Cleaning it may require rinsing with cold water because leaves and mud may be stuck to the cap.

It is a popular mushroom in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Scotland, Poland, Russia and many other countries. In Spain they are combined with garlic and parsley, in Turkey with spinach to make börek or used in a rich tomato stew and in Poland and Russia they are salted with herbs such as dill and caraway.

Many recipes suggest blanching the mushrooms for 2, 3 or even 10 minutes, but that’s not necessary. Much better idea is to use them in stew like recipes, allowing for the flavours to integrate. Talking about flavours, Saffron Milk Cap is a touch nutty, sweet and mild.

The season is relatively short, from August until October, November. Which in a way makes the joy of buying and preparing these delicious mushrooms even greater!

Wine Pairing

We very much enjoyed a glass of Portuguese Segredos de São Miguel, a full bodied, warm red wine, made from grapes such as Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira. You will taste lots of fruit and a touch of toast.

In general you’re looking for a full bodied wine, with some acidity and smooth tannins. A glass of Malbec will also be a good choice.

What You Need

  • 150 grams of Saffron Milk Caps
  • Roasted Red Bell Pepper
  • 50 grams of Sliced Chorizo
  • Parsley
  • One Garlic Glove
  • Black Pepper
  • Olive Oil

What You Do

Clean the mushroom and slice (not too thin). Chop the garlic. Peel the skin of the roasted bell pepper and slice. Warm a skillet, add olive oil and gently add the sliced Spanish chorizo (yes, we know, it seems a bit odd. You would expect us to use fresh chorizo, which is great when you want to create something like a sauce or ragu, but we like the idea of being able to taste all three main elements, on their own and in combination). Add the garlic. After a minute or so add the mushrooms and the bell pepper. Fry gently. After 5 or 10 minutes add some chopped parsley. Leave on low heat. Add some more parsley. Just before serving add the remaining parsley and some black pepper.

PS

Roasting a red bell pepper before using it, is such a good idea. Simply slice the bell pepper in 4, put on the highest rack in the oven and grill for 10 minutes or until truly burned. Remove from the oven, put in a container, close it and wait for an hour or so. Remove the skin of the bell pepper and it’s ready to use. Roasted bell peppers are sweet and intense, with only a touch of smokiness.

Saffron Milk Cap ©cadwu
Fresh Saffron Milk Cap ©cadwu

Artichoke à la Barigoule

9 June 2022

It’s the time of year to enjoy artichokes: steamed, as a salad, in a pie or perhaps à la Barigoule. This is a rather intriguing recipe from the French Provence region. There are lots of variations, so we looked in books like La Cuisinière Provençale and La Cuisine Niçoise d’Hélène Barale to find the ‘original’ recipe.

Obviously you want to know what ‘barigoule’ means. According to Hélène Barale ‘barigoule’ means thyme, which is odd because she doesn’t add thyme to her Artichoke à la Barigoule. Is it perhaps derived from the Latin word mauruculai (meaning morel according to some and saffron milk cap to others) as the Larousse suggests? But what is the link between artichokes and mushrooms?

Three Versions

We found three different ways of preparing Artichoke à la Barigoule: cooked with onions, white wine and carrot, stuffed and preserved with lots of citrus. The stuffed one is probably the original version because the artichoke is stuffed with a mixture of mushrooms, thyme and garlic. Which makes the Larousse explanation more likely.

Preparing Artichokes a la Barigoule is quite a bit of work and the result, we must admit, looks like an old fashioned underbaked meatball. We could imagine you serve the artichoke halfway the recipe. If you do, best is to use smaller artichokes.

Wine Pairing

It’s not straightforward to pair artichokes with wine. According to various researchers this is due to cynarin, a chemical especially found in the leaves of the artichoke. When the wine and the cynarin meet in your mouth, the natural sweetness of the wine is enhanced, making it taste too sweet. So you have to pair artichokes with a bone-dry, crisp, unoaked white wine with clear, present acidity. For instance Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner or Albariño. 

What You Need

  • Artichokes
  • Cooking liquid
    • Shallot
    • Carrot
    • Olive oil
    • White wine
    • Water
    • Thyme
  • Filling
    • Mushrooms
    • Egg yolk
    • Garlic
    • Shallot
    • 2 Strips of Bacon
    • Thyme
    • Black Pepper
  • Excellent Olive Oil

What You do

Remove outer leaves and stem of the artichokes. Add oil to a large pan, gently fry the chopped shallot and the chopped carrot. After 10 minutes or so add white wine, thyme and some water. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the artichokes to the liquid, close the pan and allow to cook and steam on low heat for 45-60 minutes or until nearly done. You could decide to stop here and serve the artichoke with the (reduced) sauce.
Let the artichokes cool, remove the leaves and the centre choke (the hairy part).  Use a spoon to remove the ‘meat’ from the leaves (bracts) of the artichokes. Set aside. In a small skillet heat some oil, add chopped shallot, glaze, add sliced bacon, mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Leave for 10 minutes until done. Add the artichoke meat from the leaves, stir, add the egg yolk and mix. Add freshly grounded black pepper. Use a food processor to make the mixture smoother, but not too smooth. Fill the artichokes with the mixture. It should look like an oversized golf ball on top of the bottom of the artichoke. You will probably have too much filling, which is fine. Gently transfer the artichokes to the pan with cooking liquid and allow to steam and warm for 30 minutes. Now transfer the artichokes to a warm oven (60 ˚C or 140 ˚F).  Add the reaming mixture to the liquid, use a powerful blender to create a sauce. Pass through a sieve and blender some more. Set the blender to low speed and add excellent olive oil. Taste and adjust. Serve the filled artichokes on a small plate with the sauce.

Artichoke à la Barigoule ©cadwu
Fresh Artichokes ©cadwu
Artichoke Flowers ©cadwu