Page 244 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Queen Bolete, Boletus

regineus (BOLETACEAE)

Ryane Snow, CC-BY-SA-3.0

QUEEN BOLETE, also known as Boletus aereus, is room matures. The surface is whitish to brownish
a robust mushroom that occurs in the mixed forests and is often finely reticulate near the top.
of California. Typically fruiting after wet weather, it SPORES: 11.5-13.5 x 3.5-4.5 µm, spindle-shaped to
grows solitarily or in scattered groups on the ground narrowly elliptical, smooth; Spore print: olive-brown
under hardwoods. Though it favors oak, queen bolete
EDIBLE PARTS: cap, stem
is also associated with madrone, tanoak and chin-
HOW TO EAT: Queen bolete is rich and meaty with a
quapin.
signature porcino odor. Its flavor is lighter and more
CAP: The cap is 2.8-6 inches (7-15cm) across and
delicate than that of king bolete. This mushroom is ex-
convex becoming flat. Young mushrooms are yellow-
cellent in risottos.
ish-brown to pale brown and covered in a whitish
QUEEN BOLETE RISOTTO: Ingredients: 2 tbsp. but-
bloom. The cap’s surface is fairly smooth and moist,
ter, 2 cups mushrooms (chopped), ⅔ cup vermouth,
but not viscid. With age, it darkens to deep brown, de-
5-6 cups chicken stock, ⅓ cup shallots (minced), 1 ¾
veloping pits and wrinkles. The thick white flesh may
cups arborio rice, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan, salt, pep-
be slightly reddish below the skin. It does not stain
per, parsley. Sauté mushrooms and shallots in butter
blue when bruised.
(5 min.). Add rice and brandy. Simmer for 3-4 min.
PORE SURFACE: Young mushrooms have stuffed Gradually pour in stock while stirring. Simmer for 25
pores. The pore surface and tubes are cream-white min. until rice is tender. Add Parmesan, salt, pepper.
to pale yellow, becoming olive-yellow in age. They do Garnish with parsley.
not bruise blue.
POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Some boletes that stain
blue or have red pores are poisonous - avoid. Lilac
STEM: The firm, solid stem is 2-6 inches (5-15cm) tall
and 0.8-2 inches (2-5cm) wide. It begins club-shaped Brown Bolete, Sutorius eximius - lilac-brown when
with a swollen base, becoming equal as the mush- young; reddish-brown spore print.

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