Polish Pickled Mushrooms

Note from Cheri: The recipe and text below is reprinted from Linda Ziedrich's The Joy of Pickling. This wonderful book is an encyclopedic reference of recipes for pickles of all types, from every corner of the globe. Click here for more sample recipes from this invaluable reference. This mushroom pickle, my favorite, is also the least trouble to make. I fell in love with the recipe after trying it with some fried-chicken mushrooms (Lyophyllum decastes) that I found growing near the house one day. If you can't find fried-chicken mushrooms or identify them with certainty, use button or other firm-fleshed mushrooms. This spicy pickle would be very good with game.

1 lb. mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth 1/2 C chopped onion 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons black peppercorns 1 teaspoon whole allspice 2 teaspoons pickling salt 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Makes 1 Pint 1. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring all of the ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Pack the mushrooms and their liquid into a pint jar. Let the jar cool. 2. Cap the jar. Store it in the refrigerator for several days before eating the mushrooms. Refrigerated, the mushrooms will keep about 3 weeks.