Introduction:
These were chosen to provide a savory, “meat”y option for vegetarians and vegans in this course (and because people who love mushrooms really love mushrooms).
Book 3, recipe 262
To prepare sops of field mushrooms and other commonly eaten mushrooms: Get common field mushrooms that have been scraped and cleaned of any sand. If they are big cut them into pieces. Scrape them and set them to soak so the sand will come away more easily and leave them better. Remove that from the water and put it with oil into a casserole pot or an earthenware vessel; sauté it gently because it will make it’s own broth by itself. For every pound of the field mushroom that is sautéed, grind up four more ounces of some that is uncooked that has soaked with half an ounce of spinach tops, moistening it with water and a little verjuice, and adding in pepper, cinnamon, a little saffron, enough salt and a little finely chopped herbs. Put everything into a casserole pot with the sautéed mushroom and cook it. Taste the broth that it has a somewhat toasted flavour and is tangy with spices. Then have slices of sautéed toast ready, the thickness of the spine of a knife, put the mushrooms on them and serve that hot. In the same way you can so any sort of edible mushroom, such as morels, brittlegills (rossignoli) and others.
Discussion
- The mushrooms used were a variety of local white (5 lbs), oyster and other (1 lb) mushrooms, which may or may not have been similar to the “field mushrooms” but do fall under “commonly eaten”.
Mushroom Sops
4
servingsIngredients
1/2 lb white mushrooms and a handful of shitakes, oyster mushrooms or other more flavorful varieties. (Any mix other than just white mushrooms will work here.)
3-5 oz baby spinach, or more to taste
Olive Oil
Vinegar
Pepper
Cinnamon
Bread for serving (I used baguettes, but any not-too-delicate-or-rich bread will work.)
Directions
- Slice baguettes thinly and toast lightly. (The idea is to make them dry enough to not get soggy under the mushrooms, but not to the point of “notably crispy toast”.) Set aside.
- Clean mushrooms, slice if necessary.
- Set aside 1/4 of the mushrooms. Sauté larger portion with oil until done.
- Serve mushrooms over toast slices.
- Put set aside mushrooms into food processor, add spinach, spices, water, vinegar. Purée. Add to cooking mushrooms to form a “sauce”. Taste for spices and salt.
- Serve mushrooms over toast slices.
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