Pickled Honey Mushrooms in Jars for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Forage for honey mushrooms (I used autumn honey mushrooms, which you can recognize by their scaly caps and the little ring around the stem). If you can't get out to the woods, frozen store-bought mushrooms work too.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the mushrooms and clean off any forest debris. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the mushrooms. Once it boils, skim off the foam and cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat.

3. Step 3:

   

   Prep the rest of the ingredients. Peel the garlic and rinse the peppercorns and cloves in cold water.

4. Step 4:

   

   Drain the cooked mushrooms in a colander and rinse them under running water a few times.

5. Step 5:

   

   Pour 1 liter of water into a pot and add the salt, sugar, garlic, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf, then pour in the vinegar. Set it over high heat.

6. Step 6:

   

   Meanwhile, prepare the jars and lids. Wash them well with dish soap and rinse thoroughly under running water, then sterilize them however you like. A quick, efficient way is in the oven: put the clean jars and lids in a cold oven, set it to 400°F (200°C), top-and-bottom heat, and leave them for 20 minutes. The lids must have no rubber gaskets (those can be boiled in a pot for 10 minutes instead).

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the mushrooms to the boiling marinade. Once it returns to a boil, lower the heat to medium and cook everything together for about 15 minutes.

8. Step 8:

   

   Spoon the mushrooms, along with their marinade, into the sterilized jars.

9. Step 9:

   

   Try to fill the marinade right up to the neck of each jar, so no extra air is left inside.

10. Step 10:

    

    Seal each jar (I used twist-top lids). Let the mushrooms cool to room temperature, then move the jars to a cellar or the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

11. Step 11:

    

    Try the pickled mushrooms with fresh herbs and a drizzle of oil.