Orange oak bolete

Bolet roux

What it is

Its white flesh runs wine-grey and then near-black within minutes of being cut, and no amount of lemon or acidulated water prevents it. Northern and eastern Europe never fought the reaction: the mushroom went into dark stews and pickling jars where colour was never the point.

In the kitchen

Cook caps and stems apart — the stem stays fibrous long after the cap is tender. Ten minutes of hard dry frying first drives off the water and firms the flesh enough to survive a long stew.

Goes with

Crème fraîche Dill Onion Potato Butter Juniper berry Buckwheat groats

In season alongside

Bronze bolete Maitake Wood pigeon Red-legged partridge Bay bolete Woodcock

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