Pickled Mushrooms

We love to keep a variety of pickles on hand at all times. Use them to garnish a variety of dishes and salads. Also, it’s a great way to preserve the shelf life of extra produce. Note that the method for pickled mushrooms is a little bit different - we cook them first.

Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 pound shimeji mushrooms, broken into small clusters (sub maitake)

1 ½ cups rice vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch chili flake

2 bay leaves

Neutral oil

METHOD

Cook the mushrooms. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook them for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do this in two batches if your pan isn’t big enough. Don’t crowd the pan!

Make the pickling liquid. While the mushrooms cook, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When the mushrooms are browned and cooked through, add them to the bowl of pickling liquid. Stir to combine. Set aside for at least 10 minutes (so the flavors have time to blend). Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Use or store. Store refrigerated for at least a few weeks.