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Oil-pickled Scarlet Elf Cups

Oil-pickled Scarlet Elf Cups is a modern British recipe for a classic preserve/pickle of scarlet elfcup mushrooms softened in spiced vinegar and preserved in oil. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British dish of: Oil-pickled Scarlet Elf Cups.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Additional Time:

(+1 month maturing)

Makes:

2 small jars

Rating:

Tags : Spice RecipesBritish Recipes

Oil pickling of mushrooms has been used as a preservation method in Italy since Roman times and it's a method still used today. Normally olive oil would be used, but I'm using the more British suitable rapeseed oil here. Many kinds of mushrooms and fungi can be pickled in this manner, but as oil works by excluding oxygen from the foods it's particularly suitable for brightly-coloured foods like these scarlet elf cups. These are particularly good served with fish or fatty meats.

Ingredients:

350g scarlet elfcups
750ml good quality cider or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
10 black peppercorns
1 strip of pared orange zest
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sea salt
Cold-pressed rapeseed oil to cover (around 300ml)

Method:

Brush the scarlet elfcups clean to remove any dirt and/or detritus. Wipe away any surface mud or soil with a damp cloth. Trim away any tough stems (stipes).

Combine the vinegar, coriander seeds, peppercorns, orange zest and bay leaf in a large saucpan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Strain the resultant mixture into a bowl, discarding the spices.

Pouir the vinegar back into the pan, return to a boil then add the salt and mushrooms, Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until the mushrooms are just tender.

The mushrooms are now clean and sterile. To avoid touching them, remove from the vinegar with a slotted spoon and arrange on a clean tea towel setting them aside to drain and cool for 30 minutes.

Using a clean spoon arrange a layer of mushrooms in a small, sterilized, jar. Once packed, pour over just enough oil to cover then fill up the second jar in the same manner. Tightly secure the lids and set aside in a cool, dark, cupboard to mature for 1 month before opening. They will keep, unopened, for up to 2 months.

Once opened store in the refrigerator, topping up the oil if necessary to ensure the mushrooms ramain submerged.