I was up early to do fungi Friday hunt before the sun was up.
I crossed the fields to the woodland on the other side. It was very refreshing to see the wheat blowing in the breeze.
On the woodland path, I encountered a few mushrooms called weeping widows.
They were still in peak condition, but someone had beaten me to them.
Despite its ominous name, Weeping Widow isn't toxic. It has an earthy mushroom taste but is a bit blander than others.
It needs to be cooked as soon as it's picked, as it tends to become weepy, hence the name.
A bit further along, I found some deer mushrooms. A little creature had chomped on them for breakfast.
I don't blame them; these deer shield mushrooms have a pleasantly delicate, nutty flavor.
I picked a couple of pristine ones to add to my collection waiting in the kitchen. It wasn't a great haul, but they will add an earthy flavor—a little touch from the wild.
This plate includes wild mushrooms that I picked, some of which were bought from the nearby farm shop, along with puffballs, oysters, and shiitakes.
In the kitchen, I prepared my ingredients:
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (hot)
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound mixed mushrooms
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley
First, I heated up 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
I added the sliced mushrooms and cooked them until they released their juices and turned golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. I seasoned them with salt and pepper, then removed them from the skillet and set them aside.
I added the chopped onion and cooked it until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then, I added the minced garlic and cooked for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
I added the risotto rice to the pan with the onions and garlic, stirred to coat the rice with the oil and butter, and cooked it for about 2 minutes.
I poured in the white wine and cooked, stirring constantly, until the wine was fully absorbed by the rice.
Then, I added the warm broth to the rice, one ladleful at a time. I stirred continuously, allowing each addition to be almost fully absorbed before adding the next.
I continued this process until the rice was creamy and cooked al dente, about 18-20 minutes.
I then stirred in the cooked mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of butter, I added the grated Parmesan cheese and mixed until well combined.
I seasoned it with salt and pepper to taste and garnished it with more parsley.
To serve, I added my pre-cooked fried puffball, sprinkled more Parmesan cheese on top, and drizzled it with olive oil.
I served it immediately to enjoy its silky texture.
Every mouthful was rich, earthy, and creamy, with a nutty undertone, an herbal hint of parsley, and a velvet mouthfeel; this dish is truly comforting, with the natural flavors of wild mushrooms.
A wonderful fungi Friday, everyone!
Mariah 💗
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