Cooking with Chicken of the Woods

After a great two hours of foraging for fungi and coming home with some positively identified species of mushroom I was very interested with my first haul. One of these was a bracket fungi called sulphur polypore (laetiporus sulphureus), also known as chicken of the woods. It seems that most people enjoy eating this mushroom but i must admit i was a little unsure, as the colours of orange and sulphur yellow usually mean stay away in nature but after researching it and assuring myself it was safe i decided to press on and try this wonderfully tiered bracket fungi. You can see the pictures of what i found including the chicken of the woods in a previous post here fungi foraging

I gave it a clean with a soft little brush to remove the dirt (as i had read somewhere that washing mushrooms isnt a good idea as they suck up the moisture) and then i sliced it thinly. It suggested online that you should boil in salt water for 5 minutes before using and then i sautéed the slices for a few minutes in some of my homemade wild garlic butter mixed with a little extra virgin olive oil. I then tasted a piece before adding the rest to a turkey and vegetable casserole that i already had going on the hob. I simmered for about 20 minutes until the meat was tender and the vegetables were cooked through. 

When I was preparing the fungi I was surprised at the distinctive smell that filed the kitchen and as I am a first time fungi forager I hadn't smelt anything like it before, not a horrible smell at all but earthy, strong and unusual too. I wanted to taste the mushroom as an individual taste sensation first before adding it to the casserole and i was was struck by the denseness of the flesh and the taste matched the aroma perfectly. You can see from the close up of the slices why it is called chicken of the woods. It is not because it tastes of chicken but it has the denseness and look of sliced chicken. I preferred it within the casserole where it was complimented and balanced out by all the other flavours and textures. I found it to be quite filling as well so you don't need to add too much to a dish. All in all i was very happy with with my first tentative steps into the world of finding free food in edible fungi and i think i had a lucky first forage so I am looking forward to my next adventure in the woods to see what other delights i can find. If you have a chance then go give it a try but make sure you have a good handbook or someone experienced with you to help identify the edible species before you pick and take them home. 

If you would like to learn more about my exploits foraging for free wild food and the recipes I have cooked with my herbs and grow your own then please have a look at some of my other posts :)

Sliced Chicken of the Woods

Closeup so you can see the texture

The finished casserole complete with fungi