Mushroom Conserva Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Trim stems and gently clean mushrooms with a damp towel. Halve cremini and large mushrooms; leave small mushrooms whole so pieces are roughly uniform in size (~2–3 cm). Pat dry.

Sauté aromatics

In a large, wide sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the extra-virgin olive oil. When warm, add sliced garlic and shallots. Cook, stirring, until translucent and just beginning to color, about 2–3 minutes. Do not let garlic burn.

Cook mushrooms

Increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms in a single layer if possible; you may need to do this in two batches to avoid steaming. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the sea salt over them. Cook without moving for 2–3 minutes until bottoms brown, then stir and continue to cook another 4–6 minutes until mushrooms release their liquid and it mostly evaporates and they are golden-brown.

Deglaze & season

Pour in the white wine and scrape browned bits from the pan. Add the remaining olive oil (reserve about 40–50 ml of oil to top jars later) along with thyme sprigs, bruised rosemary, bay leaves, dried chile flakes (if using), lemon zest, remaining salt (0.5 tsp), black pepper, and sugar. Stir to combine and simmer gently for 2 minutes so flavors meld.

Simmer to infuse

Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer very gently for 5 minutes so mushrooms absorb the aromatics. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt or pepper as needed.

Sterilize jars

Use 2–3 clean 250–350 ml jars (or one 750–1000 ml) with tight-fitting lids. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse, then place jars upright on a baking sheet and dry in a 120°C (250°F) oven for 10 minutes or pour boiling water into jars and invert on a rack to drain. Keep lids hot but not boiling.

Pack mushrooms

Using a slotted spoon, pack the warm mushrooms and aromatics into the hot jars, leaving about 1 cm headspace. Distribute garlic, shallot slices, herbs, lemon zest, and chile flakes evenly among jars.

Cover with oil

Pour the reserved warm olive oil over the mushrooms so they are completely submerged. If necessary, top with additional olive oil until mushrooms are covered by about 1 cm. Leave 0.5–1 cm headspace. Wipe rims clean with a warm cloth.

Seal & cool

Close jars with lids and allow to cool to room temperature. As they cool, the oil may pull some air out and create a slight vacuum. After cooled, refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow flavors to develop. Mushroom conserva will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; for longer storage follow proper canning procedures (this recipe is for refrigerated conserva, not water-bath preserved canning).

Finish

Before serving, remove desired amount of mushrooms from the jar and place in a bowl. Add chopped parsley, finishing olive oil, and lemon juice. Stir gently to combine and taste; adjust salt or lemon as needed.

Serve

Serve at room temperature with toasted bread or crostini. Mushrooms are excellent as an antipasto, on crostini, or chopped into salads and pasta. Use the infused oil as a dressing component or drizzle over grilled vegetables.