Page 250 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
P. 250
GILLED BOLETES
Insidious Gomphidius, Gomphidius
oregonensis (GOMPHIDIACEAE)
Ron Pastorino, CC-BY-SA-3.0
INSIDIOUS GOMPHIDIUS is native to the west coast. low below. While stems usually taper to the base, en-
Occurring solitarily or in clumps, it grows on the larged bases may also be found.
ground under conifers, especially Douglas-fir. Its stem
VEIL: Immature mushrooms are encased in a slimy,
base is often deeply entrenched in the earth. This
whitish, finely-hairy veil, which leaves a fibrillose
mushroom fruits from fall through to early spring.
superior ring. Rings soon become sooty with black
Genetically in the Bolete Order but, unlike most pored
spores.
boletes, they have gills.
SPORES: 11–13 x 4–5 µm, spindle-shaped to narrow-
CAP: The cap is 0.8-4 inches (2-10cm) wide. Begin-
ly elliptical, smooth; Spore print: dark grey to black
ning convex, it becomes broadly convex to flattened.
Its bald surface is slimy when moist. Young mush- EDIBLE PARTS: cap
rooms may be pale pinkish to brownish. As they ma- HOW TO EAT: While perfectly edible, these mush-
ture, they darken to reddish-brown, purplish-brown, rooms are supremely slimy. You can reduce some of
or deep brown. Old mushrooms commonly develop this by peeling off the slippery skin. But the fact re-
blackish spots and smudges. The cap’s soft flesh is mains that you are in for a mucilaginous meal.
white.
INSIDIOUS “ESCARGOT”: Ingredients: 1 garlic clove
GILLS: The gills, which run down the stem, begin (minced and mashed), ⅜ tsp. salt, ½ cup butter
white or pale buff, and become smoky grey. Tender (softened), 1 shallot (minced), 1 tsp. parsley (finely
and fairly waxy, they are usually close, or sometimes chopped), 1 tbsp. dry white wine, 8 oz. mushrooms
subdistant. (skin removed). In a bowl, combine butter, shallot,
STEM: Measuring 2-5.9 inches (5-15cm) long and 0.6- garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and wine. On a dry pan,
2 inches (1-5cm) wide, the stem is solid, viscid when sear mushrooms for 1-2 min. on both sides. Reduce
moist, and supports remnants of the partial veil. Its heat to low and cook for 5 min. more. Add butter mix-
surface and flesh are whitish above, and bright yel- ture and cook until sizzling.
249
