The other week I discovered a woodland that so magical I’m pretty sure fairies live there. I probably think it’s magical because we found those red and white speckled mushrooms that I genuinely thought were just something made up for children’s fairy tales. But the whole place was absolutely stunning. Describing it wouldn’t do it justice so photos below, though even they don’t do it justice, guess you have to go see it for yourself. I now want to go live in a little wooden cabin in the middle of the woods and live off the land.
In the magical woodland my mum gave me my first mushroom foraging lesson. I’m pretty new to the whole mushroom world, as it was only last year that I have even started to like them. My only interest in them before was picking them out of my food. So we had to start with the basics. Lesson number one, don’t eat those pretty looking red…or the pretty looking purple ones, they are poisonous 🙁 Lesson number two, don’t eat anything if your not sure what it is. After my one and only lesson I think I can now spot a cep…maybe! Luckily I can rely on my mushroom expert mum to collect a whole basket of beautiful brown wild mushrooms.
So this is the part where I am supposed to tell you that I used these wild mushrooms and the kale from my mum’s garden to make this delicious dish. But actually my mum hates garlic so cooking this for her was not an option. But my mushroom foraging experience has made me into a more hardcore mushroom lover, so at the moment I can’t get enough of them, especially with kale, they go really well with kale.
Garlicky Mushroom and Kale Tagliatelle
Serves: 4
dairy free, vegan
200g Mushrooms
1 bunch / 150g tuscan kale
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tbsps olive oil
200g tagliatelle
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese to top
Slice the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms in half the olive oil on a medium heat in a large frying pan for 10 mins, stirring frequently. Add the garlic for the last 2 mins.
Bring a medium pan of water to boil, add the kale for 2 mins then scoop it out. Add the tagliatelle, lower to a simmer and cook for 8 mins. Once the pasta is cooked, drain, leaving about 1/3 cup of water in the pan. Add the mushrooms, kale, olive oil, salt and pepper and cook for another minute, till there is a thin sauce.
When serving grate over some parmesan cheese. For dairy free add some thyme instead.
