Pickled Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Mushrooms
• Water
• Salt to taste
• Large Polish Pottery bowl, preferably in Unikat pattern ;)

Brine

• 3 cups water

• 2 tsp salt
• 5 or 6 Bay Leaves
• 1.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 10 Allspice Berries
• 20 Rainbow or Black Peppercorns
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1.5 cups (12oz) Vinegar

Let’s go

Pickled Mushrooms (grzybki or grzyby marynowane in Polish) are a traditional Polish snack, they are an excellent appetizer (zagryzka) for a shot of Polish Vodka :) This is a traditional Polish Recipe that I learned from my mom, I just substituted wild forest mushrooms with ones from a store.

Wash mushrooms fairly and put in a large Polish Pottery bowl. Fill a tall pot with water, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms to boiling water, stirring gently. Boil for 3 minutes and drain in a Polish Pottery colander ;) 

While waiting for the mushrooms, start the brine with 3 cups of water, add 2 tsp of salt and all the other spices. Bring water to a boil and boil for 4-5 minutes, add 2 Tbsp sugar and 1.5 cups (12oz) vinegar and stir. Return brine to a boil and turn off the heat.

Fill jars with mushrooms (make sure to wash jars well). Spoon spices out of brine and onto canned mushrooms - evenly distribute spices between jars. Cover mushrooms with brine and twist lids on tight. Flip jars upside down (while still hot) and leave overnight.

They will be ready to eat in a week or so, plus they can stay in your pantry for a long time as long as they are not open. Pickled Mushrooms are used on many occasions in Poland, from small celebrations to big holidays. They are served with vodka on the side or the other way around :)