Lion's mane

Hydne hérisson

What it is

In Japan it is yamabushitake, named for the tufted pom-poms on the robes of the yamabushi mountain ascetics. It carries no cap and no gills — the whole white cascade of spines is the spore surface, hanging from a wound in a living beech or oak.

In the kitchen

It is nine-tenths water: tear it into strands, press it hard in a dry pan until it stops weeping, then add fat and let it colour. Butter added at the start steams it grey and it never browns.

Goes with

Butter Lemon Chives Shallot Cream Tarragon White pepper

In season alongside

Artichoke Avola almond Snipe Hind Bronze bolete Caesar’s mushroom

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