I’ve seen pickled mushrooms in Italian deli cases and was always off-put but their slimy nature. Inspired by Epicurious’ #CookItWithColor challenge on Instagram, I scoured the internet for ways to transform the magical looking mushrooms I picked up every week from the Madura Farms table at the McCarran Farmer’s Market.
I love the idea of roasting the mushrooms before brining them, they have more of an edge and developed flavor. The addition of white wine vinegar and paprika add a much-needed zest to an otherwise run-of-the-mill appetizer.
| What you'll need | |
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1 pound of oyster mushrooms 1/2 lemon, zest reserved 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar 1 small chili pepper 1 shallot, sliced into rings 1 garlic clove, grated 1 tablespoon of hot paprika | 1 tablespoon of brown sugar 1/3 bunch of chives 2 tsp of salt 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1/2 teaspoon of whole peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1 medium swing top jar |
Cut the foot off the oyster mushrooms and separate them. Make sure to brush off any dirt with a paper towel or food-safe brush. Lightly toss the mushrooms them in a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt and a couple grinds of fresh pepper. Broil them on low for 5 minutes or until they shrink. The idea is to wring them out of moisture so they will absorb the brine.
Meanwhile, prepare the jar by steaming it in a water bath for one minute. In a small pot, simmer the vinegar, sugar, garlic and remaining salt until the sugar dissolves. Pierce the chili pepper and add it to the jar with the mushrooms, lemon, zest, shallot, paprika, peppercorn and bay leaf.
To finish, twist the chives into a rope and coil them into the jar. Fill the remaining space with ice and let the jar cool at room temperature until the ice melts. Store it in the fridge for two weeks.
I recently served these mushrooms as an amuse bouche on a dollop of whipped robiola cheese. Try them on your next antipasto plate, in a salad, sandwich or on pizza.
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