Mushroom Stroganoff

Tonight I was going to tell you the tale of our foray into fungi foraging.  Last year I spotted a rather large mushroom growing on a verge close to our home.  We had recently bought mushroom field books and identification guides so it was the perfect opportunity to see if I'd stumbled on free food growing around the corner from the house.  On closer inspection it turned out that I had discovered a ring of Horse Mushrooms, which are indeed edible.

I have been keeping a keen eye on that patch of earth ever since, hoping to reap some tasty free food.  All to often I find the mushrooms kicked and smashed, laying strewn in their own fairy ring.  Yesterday I noticed the white caps poking through the long grass and decided that on my way home from taking R to nursery this morning I would pick a couple of them for our tea tonight*.  Sadly some other keen eyed mushroom hunter had beaten me to the goodies and, annoyingly, had picked all of them.

So instead of tonight's stroganoff being packed with free mushroom, it is full of shop bought ones.  I suppose I could have cooked anything that I wanted but my heart was set on stroganoff.  The combination of mushrooms, onions, sour cream and hot smoky paprika is just too big a temptation to resist.  Served with wild rice, tonight was another meal that took no time to cook.  The mushrooms I bought were fine, but I am still lamenting the missed opportunity of another free meal.

*I never pick everything that is available, only what I need.