Sunday, September 5, 2010

Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms

"If you don't like mushrooms and you don't like pickles, this may not be the dish for you," I told Alan. I knew the tiny crock of pickled chanterelles I brought to his house was a pretty unusual addition to the wonderful bruschetta and cheese plate he and his wife Courtney had set out. "I try to avoid both," he said smiling.

I urged him to give them a try anyway, and he did. I personally think the flavor and texture of chanterelles is so unexpected that it almost doesn't seem mushroom-y at all. As the mushrooms pickle, they become silky, rich, and meaty with a bright finish from the wine, white balsamic vinegar, and thyme. I really loved them, and even Alan went back for seconds.


1 1/4 cups chanterelles torn into slivers
1/4 cup white balsamic
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
a few black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic
1 sprig thyme

Everything but the mushrooms should be brought to a boil and then removed from the heat. Put mushrooms in a glass container and cover them with the pickling mixture. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours and up to a week. To serve drain pickling liquid, remove pepper and garlic, then top with good olive oil, salt, and pepper.

3 comments:

Wusel's... said...

This one sounds delicious. I love mushrooms. I think I'll try this next week. I have some dried mushrooms here. Is it okay to use them?

The Chubby Vegetarian said...

Not sure if that'll work or not, but there is only one way to find out...

Anonymous said...

If they're dried chanterelles, they'll probably have little to no flavor. Chanterelles lose most of their vitality and flavor when dried. Fresh, on the other hand, c'est magnifique! I'm about to pickle some due to surplus, thanks for the recipe!