MUSHROOM CONFIT
About 6 cups
We first encountered mushroom confit in a Thomas Keller cookbook, and we’ve been tweaking the recipe for years. In our opinion, this is the perfect way to preserve wild mushrooms from a successful foraging venture. Serve as part of an antipasto spread or cheese board, or toss with pasta, serve over polenta, or pile on thickly sliced toasted bread.
Toss together in a colander placed in the sink or over a bowl:
- 2 pounds mushrooms, larger ones quartered, any tough stems removed
- 1 tablespoon salt
Let sit for 1 hour. Gently press any excess moisture out of them (do not rinse). Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200°F.
Combine in a large ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven:
- 2 cups olive oil
- (2 shallots, thinly sliced)
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 small sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Set the heat to medium and wait for the garlic to start faintly bubbling. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture steep for at least 15 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, cover, transfer to the oven, and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, uncover, and stir in:
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
- (1 teaspoon smoked paprika)
Cool completely before packing into a jar with a tight-fitting lid, making sure the mushrooms are completely submerged in the oil. Store refrigerated for up to 1 month.