SUGGESTED USES

Candied Cep Mignardises

At Noma, we turn fermented mushrooms into dessert by soaking whole fermented ceps in their weight’s worth of birch (or maple) syrup, then leaving them to infuse for 2 days in the fridge. Once they’ve become salty-sweetsour, we dry them slowly in a dehydrator at 40°C (104°F) until they have the chewy texture of toffee. Dip them in tempered chocolate and they become sublime mignardises.

Cep-Bacon Vinaigrette

The juice from lacto-fermented ceps is a multipurpose seasoning tool we use often at Noma – there’s a bright funkiness to it that electrifies certain ingredients. To get a sense for its powers, make this simple warm vinaigrette: Whisk together equal parts lacto-fermented cep juice and freshly rendered bacon fat. Spoon over grilled oyster mushrooms, slow-roasted cauliflower or gooseneck barnacles.

Cep-Oil Companion

A perfect foil for lacto-fermented cep juice is cep oil. To make cep oil, heat 500 grams grapeseed oil and 250 grams fresh ceps in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the mushrooms begin to bubble. After about 10 minutes, cut the heat, cover and allow the oil to cool to room temperature. Move the pot to the refrigerator and allow to infuse overnight. The following day, strain the oil and discard the solids. Whisk together equal parts cep oil and lactofermented cep juice, then stir in finely minced shallots or slivered garlic scapes and you’ve got a sharp, savoury dressing for raw scallops or lightly poached shrimp.