Ceps with Ham and Vegetables
(Cepes a la Savoyarde)

Ceps with Ham and Vegetables is a wonderful way to experience the flavour of this famous wild mushroom.

This wild edible mushroom is a large bolete with a dull brown cap, dirty white pore and stout and swollen stern, it is usually found during the summer through to autumn, solitary or in small groups on soil under broadleaf or coniferous trees.

It is also one of the most famous foods in France, it is a delicacy and quite expensive in France.

When my husband and boys go foredging in the woods near where we live, it is truly a treat when they return with cep. Other mushrooms can be used, for example, morels and girolles.

You can use fresh or dried mushrooms in this dish, I prefer fresh, but we know plenty of French who prefer dried.

serves:- 4-6,preparation time:- 10 mins,cooking time:- 30 mins

Ingredients

* 1kg or 2lb of fresh Ceps
* 2 tablespoons of nut oil 1 slice of raw ham
* finely chopped 2 large onions
* finely chopped 1 clove of garlic
* finely chopped 1 small handful of parsley
* chopped 75g or 3oz of butter
* salt and pepper and breadcrumbs.

Method

* Ceps normally require long slow cooking to bring out their flavour, ideally before you use them in a dish, dry them out in your oven to get rid of the moisture, then stew them slowly in some oil. Then they're ready to cook with.

* in a pan, fry the ham, onions, garlic and parsley in the butter cook together for 5 mins

* add the mushrooms and heat through

* add some salt and pepper to taste and arrange on a hot platter

* then add enough breadcrumbs to absorb the juices

* then serve

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