Meze & olive-oil dishes Italian and Spanish
Grilled green-cracking brittlegill
Green-cracking brittlegill caps grilled with parsley, mint and a touch of garlic: a simple small plate loved in Spain and Italy.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
According to Wikipedia, the green-cracking brittlegill (Russula virescens) is considered one of the best in its genus; it is popular in Europe, especially Spain, and in China, and is sautéed or grilled. It tastes mildly nutty. This recipe is adapted from Italian cook Piero Benigni's grilled porcini method: a lid over the grill lets the caps cook in their own steam without drying out.
Never eat a mushroom you haven't identified with certainty: with any green-capped mushroom, dig out the stem base with its soil and check for a volva and a ring. Never eat one until the death cap (Amanita phalloides) has been ruled out.
Ingredients
Tick them off as you go.
For the mushrooms
For the herb mix
Method
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-
Finely chop the parsley, mint and a very little garlic together.
~3 min -
Cut off the stems and set aside. Clean the caps with a brush and a damp cloth without washing them.
~5 min -
Brush the tops of the caps with oil, turn them over and sprinkle the herb mix on the gills with a little more oil. Don't add salt or pepper yet.
~4 min -
Lightly oil the grill, heat it well and lay the caps gill-side up; cover with a metal lid for a few minutes.
~6 min -
Loosen with a spatula, flip and cook for 2 minutes; flip back and cook uncovered until a fork slides in easily. Move each cap to a warm plate as it's done.
~6 min -
Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with raw olive oil and serve at once. Slice the stems lengthways 0.5 cm thick and grill them the same way.
~1 min
Enjoy!
The mushroom in this recipe
Mushroom swaps
Porcini Boletus edulisThe original recipe is made with porcini; use the same weight.
Tips
- Don't salt before cooking, or the caps release their water and steam on the grill.
- The caps cook at different speeds; take each one off as soon as it's done.
- Skip any maggoty or soft caps; a good brittlegill is fleshy and firm.
Storage
Eat grilled mushrooms hot; they don't keep. Store fresh brittlegills in a paper bag in the fridge for 1–2 days.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Grilled green-cracking brittlegill take?
It takes 30 min in total: 15 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking.
Which mushroom is used for Grilled green-cracking brittlegill?
This recipe uses Green-cracking brittlegill.
What other mushrooms work for Grilled green-cracking brittlegill?
Porcini: The original recipe is made with porcini; use the same weight.
How do you store Grilled green-cracking brittlegill?
Eat grilled mushrooms hot; they don't keep. Store fresh brittlegills in a paper bag in the fridge for 1–2 days.
What should you watch for when making Grilled green-cracking brittlegill?
Don't salt before cooking, or the caps release their water and steam on the grill. The caps cook at different speeds; take each one off as soon as it's done.
How many does Grilled green-cracking brittlegill serve?
The quantities serve 2; change the number of servings on the page and the ingredients adjust.
Adapted from: Piero Benigni (GialloZafferano blog) — Porcini alla griglia; grilling this species: Wikipedia, Russula virescens
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Kitchen guides
Before you cook: clean, store, dry
How to clean mushroomsPractical ways to clean everything from button mushrooms to morels without waterlogging them or ruining their texture.
How to store mushroomsHow to keep fresh, cooked, frozen and dried mushrooms at their best — and how to tell when they’ve gone bad.
How to dry mushroomsA step-by-step guide to drying mushrooms at home in the oven, in a dehydrator or on a string — and how to store and rehydrate them.