Wondering what to do with mushrooms, boletus? This guide covers how to pick them, cook them, store them, and swap them, plus 6 recipes to put them to work.

What are mushrooms, boletus?

Boletus mushrooms, better known as porcini or cep, are wild mushrooms with a fat, bulbous stem and a thick brown cap. The species most cooks mean is Boletus edulis, the king bolete. It carries the deepest, nuttiest flavor of any common edible mushroom.

Unlike gilled mushrooms, boletes have a spongy underside of tiny tubes instead of gills. Young, firm specimens are dense and meaty; older ones turn soft and waterlogged and are best left in the woods.

Fresh porcini are seasonal and pricey, so most home cooks meet them dried. Drying actually concentrates their flavor, which is why a small handful of dried porcini can flavor a whole pot.

Cooking With Porcini

Dried porcini are the workhorse. Soak them in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes until soft, lift them out, then save the dark soaking liquid: it is intense mushroom stock, and pouring it into the dish is half the point.

Strain that liquid through a coffee filter first to catch the grit that always settles out.

Chopped, rehydrated porcini melt into risottos, ragus, and braises, as in Blueberry-Risotto with Boletus (Cep), where the mushroom carries the whole dish. They deepen Polish Bigos and lend their woodsy note to soups like Becsinalt Fogolyleves.

Fresh porcini are best treated simply: sliced thick and pan-seared in butter or oil over high heat until browned, so the surface caramelizes before the mushroom releases its water. A whiff of garlic and parsley at the end is all they need.

Even a spoonful of porcini goes a long way. Their savory depth means a little flavors a large pot, so add them as a background note rather than a bulk vegetable.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Porcini's earthy richness suits hearty, autumnal partners: butter, cream, garlic, thyme, parsley, polenta, beef, game, and a glass of red wine in the braise. They pair naturally with starches that soak up their flavor.

The most common mistake with fresh boletes is crowding the pan. Mushrooms are mostly water, so a packed pan steams them gray and slimy; give them room and high heat so they sear instead.

The second mistake is throwing away the soaking liquid from dried porcini. That liquid holds most of the flavor you paid for, so strain it and use it every time. Discard only the gritty bit at the very bottom.

Substitutes

Nothing quite matches dried porcini, but a mix of dried shiitake or other dried wild mushrooms gets you a similar savory, umami-rich soaking liquid. Use the same soak-and-strain method.

For fresh, cremini and especially portobello mushrooms give a meaty texture, though milder; boost them with a few dried porcini for the depth. A small spoonful of porcini powder, made by grinding dried caps, can season almost anything with that woodsy flavor.

In a pinch, a dab of mushroom or umami paste adds savory depth, but it lacks the texture, so use it to flavor a sauce rather than to stand in as the mushroom itself.

Buying and Storing

Fresh porcini appear in late summer and fall at farmers markets and specialty grocers. Choose firm, heavy caps with a pale, tight spongy underside; a yellow-green, mushy underside or a wormy stem means it is past prime. They are often sold whole so you can inspect the stem.

Fresh boletes are perishable and keep only two to three days in the fridge. Store them in a paper bag, never sealed plastic, which traps moisture and rots them fast. Do not wash them until just before cooking; brush off dirt instead.

Dried porcini are the practical pantry form and last a year or more in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard. If you see fine threads or smell a musty odor rather than a rich mushroom one, they have gotten damp; discard them.

Properly dried, they only get better as a backbone for stocks and sauces.

Quick facts

In Chinese

香菇，牛肝菌

British (UK) term

Mushrooms, boletus

en français

champignons, cèpes

en español

setas, boletus

Recipes using mushrooms, boletus

There are 6 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 6 recipes