Wild Raspberry Sorbet

Yesterday I went for a 3-hour forage in Dean Plantation, outside Dunfermline. The plan was to look for Porcini, but there were so many Raspberries that I felt I had to pick some.

Raspberry Sorbet

I realise that my posts have become more cooking-focused, so I thought I'd remedy that by adding a few mushroom tips today. 

We are currently in Chanterelle season, with a few Porcini and others starting to show. Porcini, aka Boletus Edulis, are part of the Bolete family of mushrooms. These are identifiable by their lack of gills (the brown bits under the cap of cultivated Portobello and button mushrooms). Boletes have pores - think the holes in a sponge or the bubbles in an Aero. There are many types of Bolete in the UK, and the majority of them are edible - just stay away from any specimens with pink or red pores.

On my walk, I also spotted some Shaggy Parasols (pictured). These are a good, firm mushroom and are often cooked in breadcrumbs/batter and served with a dip. The green plant that looks like clover is also edible, it's called Wood Sorrel. It contains a chemical called Oxalic Acid (also found in Rhubarb leaves) and this plant should not be eaten in large quantities.

Shaggy Parasol Mushroom and Wood Sorrel

And now for the recipe. I'm hoping to pick some Salmonberries this month and as I'm not a fan of ice-cream, I plan to make a sorbet. This recipe is my trial run.

Raspberry Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 500g raspberries
• 1 and a half cups of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

• Squash raspberries through a sieve to extract the juice and remove the seeds.
• Add all other ingredients to the raspberry juice.
• If using an ice-cream machine, add mixture to machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have a machine, then put mixture in a container and put it in the freezer. Remove every two hours (about 2-3 times) and mix with a fork to break down ice-crystals.
• Serve once slushy or freeze for later use.
• Yummy!

Hopefully my next post will be Salmonberry Sorbet. Until then, Good Foraging xx