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Polish style pickled Mushrooms

Polish style pickled Mushrooms

I happened across a large Chicken  Of The Woods ( Laetiporus sulphureus )yesterday. I’ve had an interest in Mycology since I was young and know the easily distinguish edible fungi reasonably well. But a cautionary note first – If you are not 100% sure of what you have found it’s really not a good idea to eat it. Chicken Of The Woods is a polypore fungus which grows of damaged and dying trees. It can only really be confused with The Blackening Polypore but as this is also edible there not much of an issue if you have the wrong one. But it’s clear as soon as you cut them. As the name indicates The Blackening Polypore turns black quite quickly when cut. This recipe was suggested by the Polish chap at our local deli. He asked why I was buying two large bottles of 10% pickling vinegar. When I told him he smiled and said that adding a Bay leaf and Coriander or Dill seeds will remove the slightly woody taste. Our Polish friends have a much more positive outlook on fungi than we do and have been preserving them for centuries.

If you fancy trying this with ordinary shop bought mushrooms it will work equally well. The only pickled mushrooms we’ve had which were not to our taste were pickled Ceps which have the texture of Slugs – Shudders!

Ingredients:-

Mushrooms of your choice (Ceps if you really must!)
Coriander Seeds
1 Bay Leaf
1 large clove of Garlic, sliced
10% Pickling or distilled Vinegar

Method:-

(1) Chop the mushrooms into quite large pieces. If you are using Chestnut Mushrooms for example, halve them.
(2) Add enough Mushroom to fill a large jar. We had a Kilner jar, but any large jar will do.
(3) Add the seeds, Bay leaf and Garlic.
(4) Top the jar up with Vinegar so that all the Mushrooms are submerged.
(5) Seal and pop in a cupboard.

They should be pickled in a week or two. Once pickled they will keep for a considerable length of time. Unless we really like them…...

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Thai Style Fishcakes recipe, eat well on universal credit

I happened across a whole Coley at half price yesterday. We understand it’s a member of the Cod family? Well this one isn’t now! My knife skills are biased towards Butchery rather than Fish Mongering, so this was an interesting gig. Between us we skinned, filleted and ‘Pin Boned’ the flesh. Even the unban Foxes would have turned their noises up at the bits and bobs we had left so it went in the bin (Outside bin that is!)

Ingredients:-

1 Coley, filleted, skinned and Pin Boned
1 Thumb of Ginger, grated
The Juice of a Lime
½ a Tsp of dried Coriander
A drizzle of Olive Oil
5 medium Potatoes, pealed, boiled and mashed
2 Tsp of Hot Chilli Jam
1 Tsp of Thai Basil
1 Tbsp of Capers, finely chopped
1 Tbsp of Cashew Nut Powder (Just wuzz them in a blender)
50g of Cornflour
200g of Breadcrumbs (Gluten free bread wuzzed for us)
1 Tsp of Turmeric
1 Tsp of Paprika
2 Eggs, beaten
Salt & Pepper to season at various stages

Method:-

(1) Line a large dish with kitchen foil.
(2) Dress the fillets with the Ginger, Lime juice, Coriander and season with Salt & Pepper.
(3) Drizzle over the Olive Oil and wrap the foil around the filleted Fish and fold to seal.
(4) Cook in a pre-heated oven of 180c for 10 to 12 minutes until the Fish is cooked through.
(5) Allow to cool then flake to Fish into a bowl. Make sure you remove any remaining small bones.
(6) Mash the Potatoes and allow to cool.
(7) Add the flaked Fish to the mashed Potatoes and stir in.
(8) Add the Chilli Jam, Thai Basil, Capers, Powdered Cashew Nuts, and season with a little Salt & Pepper.
(9) Combine well.
(10) Divide into portions and roll into a ball.
(11) Flatten the balls and form into thick Fishcakes.
(12) Mix the Turmeric and Paprika with your Breadcrumbs, seasoning with Salt & Pepper.
(13) Dip each Fishcake in the Cornflour and coat well.
(14) Dip into the beaten Egg and then coat evenly with the Breadcrumbs.
(15) Place in the fridge for 20 minutes or 10 minutes in the freezer, to set.
(16) Place the Fishcakes in a pre-heated Air Fryer at 180c for 20 minutes, turning once half way through cooking.

These might look like they were bought, but you’ll never buy Fishcakes with this depth of flavour and kick! Also we had 8 in total, 4 of which are now frozen so by way of price, they’re hard to beat budget wise…..

 

 

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