Finding wild mushrooms is always a bit hit or miss. Has it rained enough? Has it rained too much? Is it cold enough? Will other people have got there before you? We headed into the sierra after a very rainy night with our baskets and knives but no expectations. The sun was out and the air was crystal clear and the hills were bathed in a hue of intense green.

Within minutes of our search we found what we were looking for  – the saffron coloured Lactarius Deliciosas – otherwise known as milk caps, or in Spanish, Niscalos. With mushrooms you know that if you find one you will find more and we did. Eyes peeled for tell tale mounds of pine needles, we unearthed one after another till we had filled two baskets of solid healthy milk caps – (well, yes, a few worms here and there but best to think of it as protein.)

For the hunters and gatherers of this world, there’s nothing like coming home with your bounty. Brimming with satisfaction, you contemplate how you are going to cook them.  We figured that as Lactarius are so firm and meaty, that simply sautéed with olive oil and coarse salt is a meal in itself and the best way to appreciate the natural flavours.  And so it was, over an open fire, with the accompaniment of a bottle of good Rioja and a sweet potato puree, we satisfied our primitive survival instincts once again.

 

 

 

BTW..any great recipes you have for these would be most welcome. Add to the comments below