Saffron milk caps (Lactarius deliciosus) on toast

Saffron milk caps are wild mushrooms native to Europe that are commonly collected in Australia in pine plantations. They have been introduced into New Zealand too, but at the moment they are quite rare. The saffron milk cap is an ectomycorrhizal fungus, which means it grows on the roots of trees in a symbiotic association. The fungus gains sugar from the plant roots, and the plant in turn gains phosphate and other nutrients from the fungus, so everyone benefits! In the autumn, the fungus produces pretty pink–orange coloured mushrooms that bruise green, and bleed a saffron-coloured milk from the gills when damaged (hence the name). In Australia, you can purchase these mushrooms from markets in the Autumn. I am lucky that my partner's family have some trees on their farm that produce an annual crop of these fungi, and this year I cooked them up for dinner one evening when I was visiting.

NOTE: There are many different species of fungi that grow in pine plantations, and some of these may be deadly, so DO NOT EAT any fungi you've collected yourself unless you have had a competent expert identify every fruit body for you. There are many reports of people being poisoned by mushrooms because a "friend told them it would be OK", so don't become one of those casualties!

Saffron milk caps on toast

5 fresh saffron milk caps (Lactarius deliciosus), sliced, cleaned and picked over to remove pine needles etc
1 clove of garlic, crushed or thinly sliced
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp butter
1 tbs olive oil
2 slices crusty bread for toasting (I like a white bread as I don't want to overpower the flavour of the mushrooms)

Put the bread in the toaster or under a grill. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over a high heat and add the saffron milk caps. Fry until they are soft (try to get them to brown a little by ensuring the heat is nice and high, and try not to stew them). When they are almost done, add the butter and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, then add the lemon juice and toss to mix. Pour the mushrooms and their juice on to the toast (no need to butter as the juice does the job!) and serve. This is nice with a glass of white wine.

An interesting fact about these mushrooms is that they turn your urine a pale pink colour! If you happen to notice this, don't panic—it's normal and won't last long! I've heard that some people find these mushrooms a little bit indigestible, but I've never had a problem, and many people (especially Eastern Europeans!) think these are the really tasty, so if you're unsure, try a small amount at first and see how you go.