Bigger, older mushrooms have more flavour than younger, undeveloped ones – especially when they’re stuffed with anchovies, breadcrumbs and herbsAmong the endless brilliant advice in Jane Grigson’s The Mushroom Feast is a note about size that is really helpful. It is in relation to the cultivated mushrooms readily available in greengrocers and supermarkets, the controlled development of which she reveals to be as every bit as fascinating as the mysterious appearance of wild ones. Grigson reminds us that small button mushrooms are exactly that: small and immature. And, having just formed, they haven’t had the chance to develop flavour, which is why it’s advisable to buy medium-sized mushrooms or, even better, large, open or flat mushrooms that have been given the time to develop real flavour. “Left undisturbed in mushroom caves,” Grigson notes, “cultivated mushrooms can swell to a pound in weight and develop a flavour equal to field mushrooms.”While out mushroom hunting in the velvet ...
Rachel Roddy presents a recipe for mushrooms stuffed with anchovies, breadcrumbs, and herbs, inspired by Jane Grigson's advice to use larger mushrooms for better flavor. The recipe, adapted from Ada Boni's Italian cookbook, involves stuffing mushrooms with a mixture of diced mushroom stalks, onion, garlic, butter, anchovies, parsley, breadcrumbs, and egg. The dish is best served hot.
