Meze & olive-oil dishes American foraging cuisine (Spanish-style)
Weeping milk caps with prawns
Weeping milk caps browned in olive oil with prawns, garlic and smoked paprika: a 15-minute small plate in the spirit of gambas al ajillo.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
The weeping milk cap (Lactifluus volemus) oozes plenty of white milk when cut and smells faintly fishy raw; according to Mushroom Appreciation the smell disappears with cooking, leaving a nutty flavour. Its firm texture pairs very well with prawns. This recipe is adapted from wild-food chef Alan Bergo's (Forager Chef) weeping milk cap and shrimp recipe.
Never eat a mushroom you haven't identified with certainty: some milk caps are hot-tasting and poisonous, and the colour or taste of the milk is not a safe test on its own. Never eat a milk cap that an expert hasn't identified.
Ingredients
Tick them off as you go.
For the sauté
Method
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-
Brush the mushrooms clean; the milk that oozes when you cut them stains hands and cloths brown, so you may want gloves. Slice the stems and quarter the caps.
~5 min -
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat, spread the mushrooms in one layer and cook for 4–5 minutes until lightly browned and tender; season with salt.
~5 min -
Add the prawns and cook for 1–2 minutes until pink.
~2 min -
Lower the heat, add the butter, smoked paprika and garlic and cook for another minute until the garlic is no longer raw.
~1 min -
Scatter over the parsley and serve hot with lemon.
~1 min
Enjoy!
The mushroom in this recipe
Mushroom swaps
Saffron milk cap Lactarius deliciosusUse the same weight of saffron milk caps; they stay firmer, the timing is the same.
Tips
- Boiling or long stewing makes weeping milk caps slimy; cook them in a pan.
- Don't crowd the pan, or the mushrooms steam instead of browning.
- Don't overcook the prawns or they turn rubbery.
Storage
Eat straight away; it doesn't keep. Store fresh weeping milk caps in a paper bag in the fridge for 2–3 days.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Weeping milk caps with prawns take?
It takes 13 min in total: 5 minutes of preparation and 8 minutes of cooking.
Which mushroom is used for Weeping milk caps with prawns?
This recipe uses Weeping milk cap.
What other mushrooms work for Weeping milk caps with prawns?
Saffron milk cap: Use the same weight of saffron milk caps; they stay firmer, the timing is the same.
How do you store Weeping milk caps with prawns?
Eat straight away; it doesn't keep. Store fresh weeping milk caps in a paper bag in the fridge for 2–3 days.
What should you watch for when making Weeping milk caps with prawns?
Boiling or long stewing makes weeping milk caps slimy; cook them in a pan. Don't crowd the pan, or the mushrooms steam instead of browning.
How many does Weeping milk caps with prawns serve?
The quantities serve 2; change the number of servings on the page and the ingredients adjust.
Adapted from: Alan Bergo, Forager Chef — Lactifluus Volemus with Shrimp, Smoked Paprika, Garlic and Parsley; cooking notes: Mushroom Appreciation — Weeping Milkcap
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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.