Pickled Mushrooms

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Vegan/Gluten-Free/Nut-Free

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: About 2 1/2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Equipment Needed:

• Cutting board 

• Chef's knife 

• Large saucepan

• Small saucepan 

•  Small whisk

• Glass container or quart-sized mason jar with lid

The Recipe:

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from the Wisconsin Supper Club Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces mushrooms of any variety, cleaned and cut into quarters

• 1/2 of a red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 garlic clove, smashed

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more or less, to taste)

• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more or less, to taste)

• 1 bay leaf

Procedure:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the mushroom quarters and red bell pepper pieces and blanch for 1 minute. Drain the mushrooms and pepper, then transfer to a glass container or jar.

2. Add the apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic clove, Worcestershire, hot sauce, Kosher salt, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer and sugar dissolves, stirring frequently with a whisk.

3. Remove from heat, and pour the vinegar mixture over the mushrooms and peppers.

4. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator for at least one day before enjoying. Store in the refrigerator for 4-6 months.
   

To Serve: I love serving these pickled mushrooms on a charcuterie board! They add a slightly spicy, briny point of interest to a mix of cheese, meats, nuts, and crackers. They are also fun to use as a garnish on a Bloody Mary skewer.

Tips:

• I like to use baby bella mushrooms for these, but I think any type of mushroom would work.

• Mushrooms can be cleaned by gently wiping away any visible dirt with a damp paper towel.

• If your mushrooms are pretty small, you could skip the quartering process or maybe just cut them in half. I just like them to be bite-sized.

• You could experiment with different colors of bell peppers, or even jalapenos for a spicier twist. I like to use the red bell peppers because I think they add a nice color contrast. You could also omit the pepper all together.

• As mentioned in the recipe, you could play around with adding more or less crushed red pepper or hot sauce, depending on how much you like spice.

• I like the flavor of apple cider vinegar, but I did try making these once with plain white vinegar and they were also quite tasty.

The Story:

I first stumbled across a recipe for pickled mushrooms in a very fun book I got from the library called the "Wisconsin Supper Club Cookbook." This book really spoke my language, because I ADORE supper clubs and the stories behind them, which this book is chalk full of. There is something so delightful, nostalgic, and cozy about sitting on a swivel barstool that looks like it belongs in your grandparent's house, sipping on a tasty libation and picking little treats off of a relish tray handed to you by a bartender that has been slinging drinks for 40 years.

In the book, the restaurant that served their variation of these mushrooms called them "cocktail mushrooms," which I assume was a nod to the fact that their briny-sweet flavor would be a welcome bar snack to pair with any type of cocktail. The bartender who created the recipe was locally famous for his pickled mushrooms, as well as his Old Fashioned cocktail (one I've yet to master making...).

While these are the perfect "bar snack" in my opinion, I also think they could lend some serious interest to a salad, sandwich, or burger. Slice them thin after pickling and try adding to a juicy burger topped with bleu cheese and caramelized onions and I bet you won't regret it. I think the pickled peppers I added in for color and a little crunch would work well in any of these scenarios, too!

Did you find any fun uses for these pickled mushrooms besides snacking on them? Let me know in the comments :)

Happy tasting!