IN THE HIGH SEASON, MUSHROOMS SHOOT OUT OF THE GROUND IN GREAT ABUNDANCE
How it's done
Unfortunately, their sensitive caps do not keep for long. A good way of making the harvest last longer is drying them in the oven. This draws the water out of them and increases their shelf life for several weeks. Porcini, slippery jacks, sheathed woodtuft, bay boletes, birch boletes, horse mushrooms or black chanterelles are ideal for drying.
Good news for North-Europeans: unlike outdoor drying, with this method you are not reliant on weather conditions. Stored in a jar, the harvest can be used for several months.
Step 1
The mushrooms have to be clean before they are dried. Ideally, grit and leaves should be removed where they are picked, before transporting them in a well-aired bag or basket. At home, you should clean the caps with kitchen paper. Larger specimens can be cut into thin slices; smaller ones can be halved. Finally, the cut mushrooms are spread evenly across a grill rack lined with baking paper.
Step 2
The oven is preheated to 50‒60 °C CircoTerm® hot-air system. During roasting, open the oven door regularly to allow moisture to escape. After around 6 hours, the mushrooms are ready. Dried food is best stored in tightly closed jars in a dark, dry place. A tip to ward off parasites: drop a pinch of pepper into the jar and shake well.
Chef tipp from NEFF
Dried porcini mushrooms need to be soaked in water before use so that they swell up. They are delicious with omelettes (see recipe booklet), pasta, or in soups.
