So, you want to go mushroom hunting! Well, the best advice I can give you is don’t unless you know 100% what you are doing! I was recently invited to attend a day of mushrooms at Delheim Wine Estate and I learnt a lot! I learnt that not all pretty mushrooms are edible. I learnt that some ugly mushrooms are. I have been cooking exotic mushrooms for many years, and frankly, I think it is easier, and safer to buy them than forage for them.
photograph courtesy of nouvelle mushrooms
But, if you are determined here are some words of advice as given to us by Dr. Adrian Smit:
- take a magnifying glass with you
- take a box for the mushrooms
- you will need a pocket knife
- make sure you get all the stages of growth of the mushrooms
- buy a good book
- join a foraging group
- you can safely handle all mushrooms without risk
- most of all, only eat the mushroom if you know 100% it is not poisonous
For more information, please contact the Mushroom Academy.
Our day started off with a cup of much needed coffee before we were given a talk about all sorts of mushrooms, and where you can find them and what makes them edible, or not. Now, I am not going to share that with you as I do not want to be responsible for anyone following my advice about foraging.
nora with boletus mushrooms found at delheim
We then headed into the forest to forage and headed back for a talk on mushrooms by Schalk de Beer. During the talk we were served a plate of exotic mushrooms en croute. Our talk was followed by lunch and I chose the baby spinach salad with seared king oyster mushrooms to start and the risotto with dried boletus mushrooms as my main course. I tasted all of the wines on offer and I can highly rate the Delheim Chardonnay Sur Lie 2010. I was not too impressed by the shitake mushroom cookies and will be developing a biscuit recipe for Delheim at Nora’s request this week.
© nouvelle mushroom week at delheim
We left with a gift bag of Nouvelle’s exotic mushrooms, and Delheim’s merlot, both of which have been enjoyed. A big thank you to Erica for extending the invitation.
© sweet potato gnocchi with exotic mushroom and blue cheese
SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI WITH EXOTIC MUSHROOM AND BLUE CHEESE
ingredients:
15g butter
200g exotic mushrooms, sliced
100g blue cheese
2 tablespoons cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
method:
while your water is coming to the boil for your gnocchi heat the butter in a frying pan
sauté the mushrooms until soft
add the blue cheese and the cream and allow the cheese to melt
at the same time start cooking your gnocchi
season and add the gnocchi and a bit of the water to loosen the sauce
I garnished my dish with a few raw mushrooms
I am submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted this week by ME!
Tandy
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Tandy, this looks absolutely delicious – definitely a dish I would love. I’m with you – the only place I will be foraging for mushrooms is at my market or produce store.
Sue
I found a mushroom outside our gate last night – best it stay there
How cool is that?!
This looks so good! I adore gnocchi. Mmmm, blue cheese….
Were the shitake mushroom cookies savoury cookies, I hope?
I made biscotti and they are meant to be served as sweet ones – and they are really good from all the taste testers accounts
Wow. I know it’s wrong to crunch up my face without tasting the biscotti but I just can’t fathom cookies with mushrooms in them. I do love the idea of rich crackers made with shitake mushrooms though!
the recipe has so much sugar that they are not savoury tasting at all – and they have some dried apricot to add a tart sweetness to them
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WELL done!! this sounds terrific! Im a huge fan of mushrooms!
and they are so good for you!
Waow, that was a huge boletus! I have never tried the combination of mushrooms and bluecheese, and it sounds delish!
(and I am totally liking the idea of sweet potatoes gnocchis!!)
I loved the combination but that is probably because I love blue cheese
What a wonderfully large mushroom!
I’ve not had gnocchi before, but I’ve always been tempted. Great post!
I mucked up my first attempt at a pasta dish for the challenge. I’m going to try again.
Sadly, the best gnocchi I have ever tasted has been the pre made ones we get in Italy
That is some mushroom
. It sounds like you had a wonderful day. The gnocchi looks delicious and I’d love to have a plate of it to try. Have a great day. Blessings…Mary
thank you so much Mary! Have a super Wednesday
Tandy, I’m with you on this one – I think it would have been wonderful to go mushroom hunting with an expert, but even after being taught, I doubt I’d be game to eat anything I found myself! I do buy them in a pack like the ones in your photo, and adore them – love the king browns and the enoki especially. Your pasta look fabulous!
Hi Celia! my husband tells me they ate bowls of mushrooms they found on the farm when they were growing up but even then I would not want to try them
I love the meaty texture of shitake’s the most but usually I just buy the mixed box as it is better value for money 
It sounds like a wonderful day!! I love those mushrooms!! I have also made Gnocchi a couple of days ago – seems like we are cooking the same things – we must be connected somehow?
I enjoyed this post!
I am sure we are connected! Have a great day Pink
Wow, what an interesting and fun day. Never seen that size of mushroom
Love the idea of using sweet potato for gnocchi.
Hope you are having a great week Tandy
Thanks Juliana, it was a lovely day, and so far this week has been good to me
That is the biggest mushroom I have ever seen! It sounds like an amazing day and with wine! The recipe also looks amazing!
thanks Bexx, the mushroom was huge! Have a great day
I find gnocci overrated – somehow just seems to be ‘much ado about not much’.
Perhaps I’m doing something wrong?
What a fascinating day! You lucky lady. The pasta sounds wonderful – I have yet to make gnocchi.
It was an amazing day – I did indulge in a lot of wine so between that and the fresh air, and the good food, I really slept well
The mushrooms look amazing – we have a neigbour who knows his stuff, but he´s keeping it all a secret! The gnocchi look lovely too, look forward to reeading the recipe when you´ve “perfected” it!
As long as your neighbour shares! I will share the recipe for sure when I have got it right
I’m definitely a mushroom EATER, but, like you…. I’ll stick to purchasing them until I can find someone I trust to take me foraging. My daughter really wants to go that route, but I’m terrified. The gnocchi with mushrooms is perfect. Thanks for sharing them and for hosting this week’s Presto Pasta Night Roundup.
I believe there are groups all over the world that you can go foraging with – but I would have to really be confident in the person leading the group
How interesting! That is a huge mushroom! WOW! Sweet Potato Gnocchi sounds lovely.
it is a HUGE one! There was so much more interesting things if you are interested! Hope you are doing better today xxx
Oh yum! this looks delicious! Am pretty petrified of making my own gnocchi (in case they come out like little golf balls), but I love the idea of your sauce.
I am going to my friends mom soon for a lesson as I cannot get mine perfect, no matter which recipe I use
Hope to see the feedback here after you’ve gone…!
for sure! I will do a blog post on my experience!
WOWEE … Tandy i just LOVE the sound of sweet potato gnocchi!!! and who can resist mushrooms!! Did you make the gnocchi??? Awesome awesome recipe! Fantabulous!
I made the gnocchhi but I need to perfect the recipe before I share it xxx
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thanks for the pingback!
Ooh, better get my pasta on the boil!
that must mean you are feeling better!