Weekends lucky finds

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Weekends lucky finds

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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue May 31, 05 9:12 am Post subject: Weekends lucky finds
Didn't get to forage this weekend. Far too much on But cycling back from meeting some old friends at a pub we did find lots of watercress, and a huge, huge and -just- still edible specimen of chicken of the woods. Having a freezer full of pork meant that we only ended up picking a little of it, though, just three pounds or so (must have been fifteen pounds or more on the stump!).

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue May 31, 05 9:22 am Post subject:
I spotted a chicken yesterday. Unfortunately it was well up a tree at Thorpe Perrow Arboretum and too high to harvest without the agility of a monkey. Not sure how the owners would react either.

Richy Rich

Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 31
Location: Coventry - Warwickshire....

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 05 6:43 am Post subject:

Have found myself a chicken - just at hands height as well - but I am not sure how to handle it... shall I just shallow fry or do I integrate it into something else.

Guidance wouuld be much appreciated.

Have returned from hols in Italy and they LOVE their funghi porcini over there.. Selling it on the road sides... so I had to stop didn't I.....

They had St Georges along with Bay Boletus I beleive. Bought some but to be honest not sure if I truely like funghi but I am still willing to give it a go.

Rich

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 05 8:10 am Post subject:

It all depends on what state your chicken is in

If it's succulent, moist and really rather gelatinous, then slice it thin and fry it in the pan with a wee bit of garlic, some thinly sliced beef perhaps, and it'll be delicious.

If it's a bit larger and harder, then you've got a different beast entirely. If it's only a bit harder, stew it. If it's really hard then parboil it, then marinade it in some olive oil with just a splash of wine and some herbs. It needs to take in some moisture, but when it does you can add it to stews, put it on skewers for barbecueine, etc. I always try to keep some brackets in the freezer; the morning before a barbecue I blanch the whole thing from frozen, pour off the water, and before leaving I pour on a marinade. By teatime it's ideal vege barbecue material.

But for everyday cooking, I'd go for a chicken of the woods and beef stew, or chicken of the woods and chicken. Dice the fungus up smaller than you would the meat, and stew it for long enough to take up the gravy. Both the gravy and the mushroom are great done this way.

If it's really, really hard, leave it on the tree

A fair proportion of all the chicken of the woods you'll find will be well past it.

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