"FORAGING & WILD FOOD ". Braised field & wild mushrooms , thyme butter , parmesan & truffle oil .

" FORAGING " is far from being a recent fad . It is a practise known to mankind since day one . Seeking out . picking and gathering from the wild are indigenous ways to appreciate and love the wonderful larder of the country side . Whether your bounty be Fruits , Berries , Nuts , Seaweed , Herbs , Wild leaves , Or Wild mushrooms , it is an  "Enjoyment of Nature " and a quest for " Taste and Quality Of Wild foods " and the bonus is , It is Free .
However since 2012 , the Food Safety Authority has expressed concern in an increase in food poisoning from Wild Mushrooms . So , be careful , you need to be able to tell your Boletus / Cep  / Porcini from your Amanitas or you might end up very sick or even worse ...

I can relate to WHY , pay premium prices for organic wild mushrooms in the shops when you can pick them in the wild for free .  But Bill O'Dea , a dedicated Mycophagist , cannot stress enough , how careful people should be before eating anything that they are not 100% sure of . But help is on hand by Mushroomstuff .com . Mushroomstuff is run by Bill and Freda O'Dea , both well known in Ireland for their legendary mushrooms hunts in the hills around Dublin  , Wicklow and Kerry .  Bill also leads groups on mushroom hunting trips to France , Spain and Turkey .

If you want to pick up this Knowledge and have a great day hunting in the wild and eating the fruits of your labour , you can check on  some of their  events coming up  on www.mushroomstuff.com or follow Bill on Twitter @mushroomstuff.
Bill is a member of Coford , a funded workgroup to promote edible fungi in Ireland and an active member of Slow food .

CAUTION : Refrain from eating anything you are not 100% sure of

However , if you are on the lazy side and not into Foraging ( like Me ) , The Food Hall @ Fallon & Byrne has a great selection of Wild Mushrooms .

Here is a delicious recipe for the harvest of your hard labour . A great Starter or smaller bite sized makes , great Canapés.

BRAISED FIELD&WILD MUSHROOMS , thyme butter , parmesan shavings , white truffle oil .

• 250 grms of medium field & wild mushrooms , wiped clean or brushed  . 

                  (250 grms will set you back €4.50 for a Mix Pack at Fallon & Byrne )

• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 50 ml of cream
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
• 2 tbsp of flat leaf parsley chopped
• Pinch of Maldon Sea salt or any coarse sea salt
• Freshly grounded Black pepper

 For The Thyme Butter :

• 30 grms of unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp of fresh thyme

Mix the butter with the thyme and wrap tightly in cling film . Roll into a sausage shape , tie one end and roll while twisting the lose end until you get an even sausage shape . Tie and chill until needed . 

Now in a heavy bottomed pan , heat the olive oil , add the mushrooms and a good pinch of Maldon sea salt ( this prevents the mushrooms in  releasing any moisture ) . Sauté the mushrooms , while stirring constantly until the mushrooms have got some colour and soft but still with a bite . Add the crushed garlic , and stir for 30 sec , making sure it doesn't burn . Add some of the thyme butter and season to taste .
Once the butter starts to foam , add i the cream . Stir to combine the flavours and allow to slightly reduce .

To Serve :

• Some baby salad leaves , dressed in a little Extra Virgin olive oil & lemon juice .
• Parmesan Shavings
• Truffle oil
• Toasted Sourdough or Ciabata bread

Add the Chopped parsley , and spoon over the toasted sourdough , scatter the Parmesan shavings , drizzle with the truffle oil and some of the baby salad leaves . Bellisimo ....
For a Great selection of Wild Mushrooms  & Truffle oil , Chk out, " The Food Hall " at

Fallon & Byrne
11 -17 Exchecquer street
Dublin 2

From King Boletus , Oyster , Girolles , Judos , Pompom , Porcinni , Pied Bleu , Trompette de mort , Paris Brown ,  Beech & many more...

Tagged : mushrooms-foraging-starter-elegant entertaining-bill o'dea-fallon&byrne




©2012-2013;Robert Jacob;jacob'scrackers;jacobscrackers9; All rights reserved.