5 edible fungi in South Africa

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If you happen to’re eager on a visit and a enjoyable man (get it?), then mushroom foraging is for you. It’s like happening a treasure hunt within the forest, the place you get to go dwelling and make a tasty lunch.

A person holds a basket of Porcini mushrooms.

Of an estimated 5 million fungi species worldwide, round 1 000 happen in South Africa. What number of of them are edible, although? My fungi fundi good friend at all times says each mushroom is edible not less than as soon as, so heed warning when foraging.

All the time seek for mushrooms with somebody who does it usually, solely by yourself after you have sufficient expertise, and solely decide a mushroom in case you are 100% sure it’s the one you’re in search of. A misidentification may show deadly.

Right here’s an inventory of scrumptious, non-fatal mushrooms in South Africa.

Bay bolete (Imleria badia)

Bay bolete fungus. (Picture by: Arterra/ Getty Photos)

Also called Boletus badius or Chestnut Bolete, this well-liked edible mushroom grows in deciduous and coniferous forests and primarily happens below pine timber in South Africa.

One of many easiest methods to get pleasure from bay bolete is to sauté them in butter or olive oil with garlic and herbs akin to thyme or rosemary. You possibly can serve them as a aspect dish or add them to pasta, risotto or omelettes. In addition they pair effectively with meats, akin to beef or pork, and can be utilized in stews or soups for added depth of flavour.

This sought-after mushroom, also referred to as a penny bun, has a wealthy, earthy flavour with a constant and agency texture, which means you possibly can add it to varied dishes.

Its an ideal thought to sauté them in olive oil and butter (as with most mushrooms), and they’re implausible in risotto or pasta. They even stand out on their very own, so be happy so as to add them to a salad after you’ve sautéed them.

When figuring out them, look out for:

King Bolete (Boletus edulis), Boletus edulis, often called the cep, porcino or Penny-bun bolete, is a most sought-after edible bolete. It’s ceaselessly discovered on the edges of clearings in broad-leaved and coniferous forests.

Cap: The cap of a porcini mushroom is usually 5-25 cm in diameter and is convex when younger earlier than turning into flat or barely concave with age. It’s sometimes brown or reddish-brown in color and should have a barely velvety texture.
Pores: The underside of the cap options tiny, carefully spaced pores which are white or yellowish in color and switch brown with age.
Stem: The stem of a porcini mushroom is often 5-20 cm lengthy and 2-10 cm thick, and it’s often white or gentle brown in color. It’s typically barely bulbous on the base and should have a net-like sample on the higher a part of the stem.
Spore print: The spores of a porcini mushroom are olive-brown in color.

Saffron milk cap (Lactarius deliciosus)

Also called a pine ring and as its different title suggests, it typically happens below pine timber, amongst pine needles. It has a shiny orange or yellow cap and a milky white stem that exudes a yellowish liquid when lower, making it a simple mushroom for newcomers to determine.

They’re nice in pasta and, because of their sturdy style, additionally they complement meat dishes with pork and cheeses akin to Brie.

This selection can be nice for pickling, the place they are often served as a condiment or so as to add a tangy flavour to salads

Frequent traits of a Saffron Milk Cap are:

Cap: The cap of a saffron milk cap mushroom is often between 5-15 cm in diameter and is convex when younger earlier than turning into flat or barely depressed with age. It’s sometimes shiny orange or yellow in color and should have a barely sticky or slimy texture when moist.
Gills: The underside of the cap options skinny, broadly spaced gills which are a shiny orange color and exude a milky white or yellowish liquid when lower.
Stem: The stem of a saffron milk cap mushroom is often between 3-10 cm lengthy and 1-2.5 cm thick, and it’s often an analogous color to the cap. It’s typically barely tapered in direction of the bottom and should have a barely velvety or furry texture.
Spore print: The spores of a saffron milk cap mushroom are gentle cream or yellowish in color.

Slippery Jack

A stand with Suillus luteus (Maślak zwyczajny) mushrooms on the market in Stary Kleparz, the oldest repeatedly working Krakow market.
On Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Krakow, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland. ({Photograph}: Artur Widak/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photos)

This mushroom will not be probably the most interesting with its distinctive slimy cap, starting from brown to reddish brown, and a stem coated in scales.

It is very important take away the slimy cap earlier than cooking it, as this isn’t digestible. Slippery Jacks will be sauteed in olive oil or butter however are additionally nice in a cabbage soup or creamy sauce.

The options to look out for when figuring out slippery jacks are:

The underside of Slippery Jack fungi exhibiting the pores up shut and a number of other fungi within the background

Cap: The cap of a Slippery Jack mushroom is often between 5-15 cm in diameter and is slimy or sticky to the contact. It may be yellow-brown to reddish-brown in color and has a barely convex form that turns into extra flattened with age.
Gills: Slippery Jack mushrooms shouldn’t have true gills. As a substitute, they’ve pores beneath the cap which are initially coated with a skinny white membrane. The pores are small and yellow, and when the membrane breaks, they exude a yellowish liquid.
Stem: The stem of a Slippery Jack mushroom is often between 5-12 cm lengthy and 1-2.5 cm thick. It’s coated with a community of small scales and is often an analogous color to the cap.
Spore print: The spores of a slippery jack mushroom are yellow-brown in color.

If you happen to don’t know anybody with expertise in figuring out mushrooms, skilled foragers supply guided excursions by way of forests, in addition to recommendation on cook dinner them.

Common foraging excursions embody Veld & Sea and Delheim Wine Property, the place skilled foragers take you thru the woods.

Get foraging, and keep in mind to be cautious.

Footage: Getty

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