Delicately sweet and sour, perfumed with wild juniper and herbs. This pickled chanterelle recipe I learned from Chef Sami Tallberg during a trip to Finland a few years ago. It's a fun variation on mushroom pickles, and the only mushroom preserve that uses sugar on this site. The recipe makes a small batch (1 pint), making it perfect to test the water if you're new to pickling chanterelles.
Like a brother from another mother, Chef Sami Tallberg is a friend of mine from Finland. We met on a marketing campaign and photo shoot for Fiskars. Traipsing around the woods with my friends Alexis Nelson (Black Forager) and Nevada Berg (Northwild Kitchen) was so much fun.
Sami and I both grew up in the restaurant industry, eventually running our own kitchens, then leaving the industry to pursue our shared passion for foraging. Sami has a number of books out, but the only one I can find for sale in the U.S. is the Wild Herb Cookbook.
During the foraging part of our photo and video shoot, we picked golden chanterelle mushrooms with Sami and learned about the aromatics and edible plants of the area.
Wild juniper was growing with the chanterelles, so we picked some for the pickles he was making, along with licorice root and wonderfully aromatic violets (viola tricolor) for other applications, both of which were new to me.
How to Pickle Chanterelle Mushrooms
The most important thing in my mind is to use young chanterelle mushroom buttons as they have the best texture. Older mushrooms can be a little soggy-not bad, but I prefer to save them to sauté, dry or puree.
Even more important than the age is that the mushrooms are pristine without bug-damage. When you're picking, cut the stem of each mushroom to check for holes and press on the top of the cap to test the structural integrity. Discard any soft mushrooms or save for another purpose.
Additionally, certain species of chanterelle are better for pickling than others. Cantharellus formosus turn a dark brown after cooking while others like Cantharellus phasmatis and Cantharellus flavus will stay golden and pretty for you. Take a look at the two jars below.
I'll also mention this is a small batch I've developed for you to try for fun. If you haven't made my mushroom conserve you should make that before you make this. Or if you have a good year, try both.
The Recipe
The recipe is easy to make and comes together quickly. First I clean the chanterelles very well using water.
The water helps remove all the dirt, but also ensures the mushrooms will contribute their natural water to the pickle liquid.
Next the mushrooms are put in a small pot with water, sliced celery, garlic, chili flakes, fresh thyme, sugar, salt and rice wine or apple cider vinegar. Everything's brought to a boil and cooked until the chanterelles are wilted.
Finally the mushrooms are packed into a pint jar and sealed with a lid and stored in the fridge. I love the non-reactive canning lids for pickles and ferments as aluminum lids can react, rust and discolor from the acid.
That said, if you want to store them in pantry they can be processed in a water bath canner with regular canning lids. 10 minutes of processing for a pint jar is pretty standard.
How to Use Pickled Chanterelles
Mushroom pickles can be used anywhere you'd use other pickles. One of my favorite places to use them is on meat, cheese and charcuterie plates.
However, something I try to stress with mushroom pickles is that they're more than something to eat cold straight from the jar.
One thing I like to do is gently warm them in a pan and served mixed with other fresh mushrooms in appetizers and side dishes. A good example is my sauteed mushrooms with goat cheese and flatbread below.
Here's a few other ideas to give you some ideas:
- Finely chop pickled mushrooms and fold them into tart sauces with herbs and olive oil.
- Add them finely chopped to dips and spreads.
- Warm up whole pickled buttons and add them to light wine or butter sauces for fish.
- Use the mushrooms warm or cold as a garnish to creamy pureed soups where they'll add texture and a needed pop of acid. I often mix them with fresh cut herbs like chervil or lemon thyme for a fresh flavor.
- Leave small buttons whole and add them to stuffings.
Related Posts
- Chef Andy's Chanterelle Pasta with Roasted Garlic Wine Sauce
- "Last Chance" Cream of Chanterelle Soup
- Chanterelle Toast with Shallots and Herbs
Pickled Chanterelles with Wild Juniper
Equipment
- 1 Pint mason jar
- 1 1.5 quart stainless steel sauce pot
- 1 Waterbath Canner optional
Ingredients
- 7 oz chanterelle buttons
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon juniper berries lightly crushed
- 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
- ½ oz celery thinly sliced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
- Immerse the mushrooms in cool water and clean them meticulously. See note on if your mushrooms are perfectly clean in the recipe notes.
- Gently crush the juniper berries with the back of a knife to release their aroma.
- Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until the chanterelles are wilted. If you have a lid for the pot covering it will speed up the process.
- When the mushrooms are wilted and completely cooked, transfer them to a pint mason jar, cover the mushrooms completely with pickling liquid, cover with a lid and refrigerate.
- The mushrooms will last for a long time in the fridge, check on them occasionally to make sure they're underneath the pickling liquid.
- For long term storage, the mushrooms can be water bath canned. To do that, process pint jars for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.
Quint Hankel
Just made a batch, how long do you wait after putting in the fridge before enjoying them?
Alan Bergo
I wait about 24 hours. Let me know how you like them!
LaRae
Loved the addition of juniper berries!
Hortense
Sounds delicious! Thanks, Alan!
Alan Bergo
Thanks Hortense.
Keith Langdon
Thanks for the inspiration chef.
I pickled chants last night with fresh sweet fern seed pods, rice wine vinegar, black peppercorns, (green would be nice too) sugar and salt.
Mike Moranz
Just in time Alan.
My wife and I were out wed, northwest of twin cities, and was surprised at the chantrelle abundance. Many small buttons but also many on the edge of too old. Also, very buggy this year. Only the small fresh ones were without tunnels. Picked a couple gallons worth in a couple hours. Also found a big handful of Hedgehog/Sweet Tooth.
You are correct about pickling the buttons. They end up very much like commercial buttons in texture. The big open ones are just too floppy after pickling. If juniper berries work, my guess is spruce tips might work too.
I made your creamed chantrelle and sweet corn recipe and that is a wonderful combo. I didn't have chervil so I used some garden hyssop and fennel fronds. Excellent.
Cookie
Can you hear me squeeling? Am so excited to try this. We live in the west end of Vancouver, right beside Stanley Park. Without your clear photos I would not even venture to try. But because of you and your perfect photo which helps me identify correctly……am gonna do it!!! Yes. Really excited.
Thanx.