Each winter Delheim wine farm in Stellenbosch hosts a mushroom festival, where guests at their restaurant can sample dishes made with wild and exotic mushrooms.
Earlier this month, I joined other journalists at the estate to learn more about these mushrooms and cooking with them.
Dr Adriaan Smit, a mycologist (a botanist specialising in the study of fungi) and director of the SA Gourmet Mushroom Academy, showed us an array of unusual mushrooms.
As he explained how to identify edible ones, it became apparent that this was far more complicated and dangerous than it first appeared.
Farm owner Nora Sperling-Thiel then took us into the pine forest and showed us where she picks her mushrooms. The mushrooms are hidden by thick undergrowth and are often well camouflaged.
The edible ones were bright orange in colour and quite unlike any edible mushroom I had ever seen.
Along the way, Smit showed us a few examples of mushrooms that could make you ill or even kill you.
I decided that identifying edible mushrooms was something best left to experts and that buying from a supermarket or green- grocer was a far safer option.
Most of the exotic mushrooms available to consumers in South Africa are produced by Nouvelle Mushrooms, the co-hosts on our visit, on a farm in the Hemel and Aarde Valley in Caledon.
After enjoying a delicious three-course mushroom meal, I was inspired to come home to try out dishes using these gourmet mushrooms.
* Packets of mixed exotic mushrooms usually contain shiitake, king oyster, shimeji and portabellini mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms are also readily available.
MUSHROOM AND CHORIZO RISOTTO
Serves 4
60g butter
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
10ml chopped rosemary
400g exotic mushrooms, sliced
350g risotto rice
125ml dry white wine
1-1½ litres of boiling chicken stock
salt and pepper
125g chorizo sausage, diced
125ml grated Parmesan cheese
chopped parsley to serve
Melt the butter and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the rosemary and the mushrooms and fry until the mushrooms are soft.
Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated.
Add a ladleful of hot stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Keep adding the stock a ladleful at a time and stirring until the rice is tender.
Season well.
While the risotto is cooking, fry cubes of chorizo for a few minutes in a small frying pan.
When the rice is tender, stir in the Parmesan and cooked chorizo.
Serve sprinkled with parsley.
MUSHROOM SOUP
Serves 4-6
50g dried porcini mushrooms
250ml boiling water
30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
50g butter
600g exotic mushrooms, chopped
a few sprigs of thyme
1.5 litres of vegetable stock
salt and pepper
250ml cream
grated rind of 1 lemon
30ml lemon juice
Cover the porcini mushrooms with the water and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the butter and all the mushrooms and fry until soft.
Add the reserved mushroom liquid, thyme and stock and simmer for about 20-30 minutes until mushrooms are soft.
Remove and cool slightly.
Puree with a hand blender until smooth.
Season to taste and stir in the cream, lemon rind and juice.
Heat through and serve.
MUSHROOM AND SALMON PASTA
30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
30g butter
500g exotic mushrooms, sliced
125ml dry white wine
125ml vegetable stock
180ml cream
100g smoked salmon, chopped
15ml chopped dill
15ml lemon juice
500g tagliatelle pasta, cooked according to directions
Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the butter and the mushrooms and cook until tender.
Add the wine and stock and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cream and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the salmon, dill and lemon juice.
Add the cooked pasta, season well and toss to combine.
MUSHROOM AND SPINACH SALAD
Serves 4
50g butter
500g exotic mushrooms, sliced
5ml chopped garlic
250g baby spinach leaves
125g baby tomatoes, halved
100g croutons
60ml pine nuts, toasted
3 hard boiled eggs, quartered
Dressing
80ml olive oil
45ml lemon juice
5ml Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms and garlic until soft. Set aside.
Put the spinach leaves into a serving dish. Add the tomatoes, croutons and pine nuts.
Scatter over the warm mushrooms and the eggs. Pour over the dressing and serve immediately.
Dressing: Combine the ingredients and mix well.
MUSHROOM QUICHE
300g shortcrust pastry
Filling
30g butter
200g exotic mushrooms, sliced
100g Gruyère cheese, grated
250ml cream
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper.
Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm or similar loose-bottom quiche pan with the pastry.
Bake blind (cover pastry with baking paper and weigh it down with dry beans) at 180°C for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove the paper and beans and return the pastry to the oven to dry out. Remove and cool.
Melt the butter in a pan and fry the mushrooms until soft.
Sprinkle the cheese over the pastry base and scatter over the mushrooms.
Mix together the cream, eggs and seasoning and pour over the mushrooms.
Bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until the filling is golden and set.
Remove and serve warm.
MUSHROOM SAUCE FOR STEAK
Serves 4
15ml crushed black peppercorns
4 steaks, trimmed
50g butter, chopped
1 onion, chopped
15ml chopped garlic
600g exotic mushrooms, sliced
60ml white wine
80ml cream
salt and pepper
Press the peppercorns into the steaks and cook on a griddle pan until done to your liking.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry until soft.
Add the wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the cream and seasoning and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Serve the sauce over the steak. - The Star