For us wild food foragers, edible mushrooms are an essential part of the enjoyment. Each person can develop their own methods of preservation. With every bite, they can transport you back to those nostalgic days of searching. Whether or not you’ve hiked for a few hours, luck, knowledge, and the hard work of mycelium can reward you. There is an implied understanding among foragers that they should not disclose their spots or secret places, which are sometimes only shared with specific creatures who have a taste for mushrooms.

Just yesterday, upon learning of a wind and rain alert, I set out to cook some mushrooms from my autumn harvest to prepare a winter meal. When it comes to cooking with wild mushrooms, your creativity and your stomach are the limit. From the traditional way of frying them with butter, salt, and pepper on sourdough bread to one of the many “craziness” that I have no qualms about. There are many dishes; I, in particular, like to experiment with my Mexican cooking. In this case, the experiment was a red pozole, Jalisco style, from my home state.

For this recipe, I used boletus and chanterelle, two of my favorites. Given their texture and volume, they completely pass for meat, well, a substitute. The magic of the flavor of dried chilies, which are not necessarily spicy; many are for color and taste. Based on your tolerance, you can add as much heat as you can handle—guajillo, ancho, and some bits of morita and cascabel, garlic, of course, onion, pepper, and salt.

All I can tell you is that my dinner yesterday, my breakfast, and my lunch have been mushroom pozole, and I don’t get bored. With a bit of cabbage, onion, lemon drops, some tostadas, and a few extra drops of habanero sauce—and in it goes! A delight.

Today’s meal combines the essence of the Scottish forest with a Mexican cooking style. The culinary adventure brings together diverse cultures, presenting a delightful array of tastes.

Bon appétit!

Autumn mushrooms

Last modified on 2024-01-22