EASY PICKLED MUSHROOMS WITH TURMERIC

This pickle is a delicious side dish with grilled meat or a cheese platter, or as a topping on anything from a sandwich to a burger. I make mine with lots of oil because I use the pickling juice as a salad dressing or dipping sauce once the mushrooms have been eaten. Halve the oil if you wish.

Makes 1 medium-sized jar

Preparation: 15 minutes, plus marinating time Cooking time: 5 minutes

• 250g baby button mushrooms (or halve ordinary button mushrooms)

• 15ml fresh lemon juice

• a generous pinch of salt

• 60ml white wine vinegar

• 120ml olive oil

• 1 whole garlic clove, crushed

• 5ml pink peppercorns (or mixed)

• a sprig or two of fresh thyme

• a few sprigs of fresh origanum

• 3ml ground turmeric

• 3ml coriander seeds, crushed

• 1 bay leaf

• a slice of lemon peel

1 Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Place them in a small saucepan with the lemon juice, salt and

300ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

2 Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.

3 Using a slotted spoon, remove the blanched mushrooms from the water and place in the hot oil mixture. Then mix through and place in a clean jar or earthenware bowl

– the mushrooms must be covered with the liquid. Refrigerate overnight.

TIPS

• The aroma of the lemon peel becomes more pungent the longer it lies in the pickling liquid. If all the mushrooms are not eaten at once, remove the strip of peel.

• I like serving this with an extra sprinkling of sea salt.

• The pink peppercorns and turmeric add a wonderful aroma to the pickled mushrooms, but experiment with other whole spices: fennel seeds, cumin, white peppercorns, a juniper berry or lemon leaves.

• You can also substitute the thyme and origanum with a small sprig of fresh rosemary.