Seal the season: Preserving wild mushroom spread for winter

Mushroom spread makes an annual appearance in my pantry. Once I've gathered enough marinated mushrooms and the usual sauces and soups begin to feel repetitive, I quickly mix a few ingredients, transfer the prepared spread into jars, and pasteurise it. This ensures that, in winter, I can treat guests to a delicacy that never fails to impress. My husband’s friend, a forester by profession and passion, always requests a jar or two.

Mushroom spread should be pasteurised thrice over three consecutive days, once every 24 hours. This process reduces the chance of the mushrooms spoiling. Unfortunately, forest produce can be unpredictable and often spoils in jars. The triple pasteurisation process, known as vandalisation, eradicates all microorganisms, even in spore form.

Three-time pasteurisation may seem cumbersome and might discourage you from making mushroom spread in jars. Still, pasteurisation doesn't have to be confined to the traditional method in pots. An alternative method is pasteurisation in the oven (and even in a dishwasher; however, for vandalisation, we recommend the first or second method). By pasteurising jars in the oven, you save a considerable amount of time, and the task is as simple as turning on the oven and placing the tray with jars inside.

Ingredients:

• 3 kg of porcini mushrooms,
• 3 carrots,
• 2 onions,
• a tablespoon of butter,
• 350 ml of broth,
• 250 ml of dry white wine,
• 2 teaspoons of tomato paste,
• half a teaspoon of hot paprika powder,
• a teaspoon of sweet paprika powder,
• salt and pepper to taste,
• 125 ml of olive oil.

Preparation:

1. Thoroughly clean the mushrooms, rinse them under running water, and then chop them into pieces.
2. Peel the carrots and slice them, then cut the onions into half-moons.
3. Transfer the mushrooms and vegetables to a pot and cover with broth. Begin heating the mixture. After a moment, add the wine and cook on low heat for 45 minutes.
4. After this time, set aside to cool. Once cooled, blend the ingredients into a smooth mass.
5. Add the olive oil to the mixture and bring it to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes.
6. Add the tomato paste, sweet, and hot paprika to the mixture. Continue cooking until some of the water evaporates and the mixture becomes thick.
7. Add salt and pepper to the thick paste, then transfer it to sterilised jars.
8. Screw the jars tightly and place them on a baking tray so they don't touch each other.
9. Place the tray in an oven preheated to 130°C (if the mushroom spread is cold, start pasteurising from a cold oven and count the pasteurisation time from when the oven reaches the set temperature).
10. Pasteurise the jars for 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and leave the jars inside to cool completely.
11. On the second day, after 24 hours, pasteurise the jars again, this time for 20 minutes, allowing them to cool in the oven; on the third day, repeat the same process.
12. Once the third pasteurisation is complete, store the jars in a cool, dark pantry.