December 2005 Archives
Click the image above for a larger view of marinated mushrooms
There are some regional delicacies in this part of France (the backcountry behind the Riviera, known locally as La Provence Verte) that are simply delicious, and Sanguins du massif au vinaigre is one of them. Literally, it translates as "blood of the mountain with vineger", but in colloquial English it would probably be called something like "wild marinated mushrooms". When red wine vinegar is used, the olive oil becomes pinkish in colour so that may explain the French name, but it sounds much more enticing in French anyway.
Of course, the French aren't the only ones to marinate mushrooms. There's an Italian version that's very similar (Italy isn't very far away after all), and other mediterranean countries probably have their own variations too. Here the mushrooms always come from the local hills and mountains, and I'm reliably informed that the key is to marinate fresh mushrooms just after they've been picked in mid-October.
The following recipe has been attributed to the village of Plans d'Aups Sainte Baume, but there are lots of local variations. Some people use red wine instead of white; others exclude the wine altogether. Some people prefer to use chunks of larger mushrooms, rather than small ones whole. I'm sure its worth experimenting, keeping in mind that the best results will probably come from using the freshest mushrooms that you can obtain.
Ingredients
- 1 kg mushrooms
- 1 wine glass of vinegar
- 1 wine glass of peanut oil
- 1 wine glass of white wine
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Sprigs of thyme, rosemary, savory and bay leaves
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
Preparation
Clean all the mushrooms, but keep them whole. Blanch (place them in boiling water) for 1 minute and then drain. Put them in a casserole dish with the vinegar, peanut oil, white wine, the garlic cloves and the herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on a low heat until the liquid has evaporated. Cool and then store the mushrooms in a bottle or glass jar, and cover with olive oil. They'll last for ages and taste superb.
We're in rural France for Christmas again this year, and it's a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of Europe's largest city.
The weather seems colder than usual, but there's still warmth in the sun despite it being very low on the horizon. Global warming seems to be bringing out the extremes everywhere these days.
It even seems to have affected Santa, who we spotted making his deliveries earlier than usual and without a single reindeer in sight!
So, England is to face Trinidad & Tobago in the World Cup this summer. I bet those football-mad Calypsonians are already writing songs about it.
Of course the event is still a long way off, but in today's Observer the UK's best known Trinidadian news anchor, Sir Trevor McDonald, explains what the whole thing means: Why, just this once, I'll be cheering for Trinidad.
