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 Dried Porcini Mushrooms
© Denzil Green
The mushrooms are pale brown with a meaty texture and a rich, woodsy flavour.
They are available fresh or dried, canned or frozen. When buying fresh ones, choose ones that are firm and plump.
Outside of Europe, they are usually only available dried, though they do grow in China and Mexico. Dried Porcini exported from China and South America is usually actually a mushroom that is a close relative, Slippery Jack.
Cooking Tips
Before cooking discard the stem, and scrape off the pores underneath as they become slimy and unpleasant when cooked.
Cook for at least 5 minutes
Nutrition
Don't eat Porcini raw, as raw ones have in them a protein that is indigestible that can irritate people's stomachs. They always need to be cooked. Cooking also develops the flavour.
Storage
They dry well for storage.
History
From the descriptions left by Pliny in his Natural History, it is very probable that what the Italians now call Porcini mushrooms are what the Romans called "fungi suilli". Both words mean "pig mushrooms", referring to the zeal with which wild and other pigs seek them out as food.
Language Notes
Called "ceps" in the UK.
Also called:  Ceps
King Boletus
Penny Buns Boletus edulis (Scientific Name) Cèpe de Bordeaux (French) Steinpilz (German) Porcino (Italian) Aubarell, Calabaza, Cep, Ontozuri (Spanish) Fungi suilli (Roman)
See Also
Slippery Jack Mushrooms
Other entries for Wild Mushrooms
Beefsteak Mushrooms, Blewit Mushrooms, Branched Oyster Fungus, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Chicken-of-the-Woods Mushrooms, False Morels, Field Mushrooms, Granulated Bolete Mushrooms, Hedgehog Mushrooms, Honey Mushrooms, King Trumpet Mushrooms, Lion's Mane Mushrooms, Lobster Mushrooms, Matsutake Mushrooms, Morel Mushrooms, Mousseron Mushrooms, Nametake Mushrooms, Oronge Mushrooms, Porcini Mushrooms, Puff Ball Mushrooms, Slippery Jack Mushrooms, St George's Mushrooms, Stone Mushrooms, Wine Cap Mushrooms
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Other entries for Vegetables
Agave, Artichokes, Asparagus, Brassica Family, Canned Vegetables, Cardoons, Celery, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Frozen Vegetables, Garlic, Gourds, Herbed Vinegars, Horseradish Tree, Hoshi Shiitake, Leafy Vegetables, Lotus, Mixed Vegetables, Pak Wan, Peas, Peppers, Root Vegetables, Sago Palm, Seaweed, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash, Tomatoes, Viscous Vegetables
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