August to October
Bronze bolete
Boletus aereus
EdibilityGood edible mushroom
- Raw
- Do not eat raw
- Cooking
- Thorough cooking required, minimum time not established
- Review
- Certain identification required before any consumption
A very dark bolete to assess through the combination of a bronze cap, pale pores, reticulate stem and white flesh that does not rapidly turn blue.
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Guide contents
Guide contents
Season
From summer to autumn in Western Europe, with a particularly well-documented period from August to October.
Habitat
Warm, open broadleaf woods, especially under oaks or beeches, at edges or in clearings with well-drained litter.
Method
Check several visible features before retaining a species name.
Three features to check on the specimen.
Very dark bronze cap
The cap ranges from sepia brown to almost blackish bronze, with a matt surface that may become finely granular or cracked with age.
Pale to yellow pores
The underside has tubes and very small pores, white to cream then sulphur yellow, never gills or pink, red or orange pores.
Massive reticulate stem
The pale brown stem forms a robust barrel with a fine brown network, while the flesh remains white, firm and without rapid blue staining.
Examine the specimen in this order.
- Examine the underside before the cap colour: it should show tubes and small pale to yellow pores.
- Check a fresh section: the flesh should remain white and should not turn strongly or rapidly blue.
- Relate the morphology to warm, bright broadleaf woodland without concluding from one dark cap alone.
Features incompatible with this species.
- Pores that turn pink with a coarse, dark brown network point towards Tylopilus felleus, not this guide.
- Red, orange or coral pores, or strong blue staining, require the specimen to be set aside.
- A paler cap with a whitish margin or pronounced cracking requires comparison with Boletus edulis or Boletus reticulatus.
From an inspected basket to the kitchen
From an inspected basket to the kitchenDrying, storage and two recipes for Bronze bolete.
The Bronze bolete brings a deep flavour to pasta and keeps a fleshy texture when roasted in wedges.
Tagliatelle with Bronze bolete
Pasta coated in a short sauce in which sliced Bronze boletes are browned and then simmered before assembly.
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 450 gIdentified Bronze boletes
- 350 gTagliatelle
- 1Shallot, finely chopped
- 20 gButter
- 1 c. à soupeOlive oil
- 15 clDouble cream
- 30 gParmesan, grated
- 2 c. à soupeFlat-leaf parsley
Method
- Prepare the boletesClean the firm specimens, remove damaged parts and slice them evenly.
- Cook thoroughlyCook the boletes in the oil for 12 minutes, then add the butter and shallot for another 8 minutes.
- Make the sauceAdd the cream and simmer for 5 minutes while the tagliatelle cook.
- CombineDrain the pasta and mix it with the sauce, Parmesan and a little cooking water. Finish with the parsley.
The pale pores and flesh that does not turn blue must have been checked before cooking. Have any doubt inspected and cook the boletes for at least 20 minutes.
Roast Bronze bolete with creamy polenta
A complete vegetarian dish in which bolete wedges roast slowly while a soft polenta is prepared.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 500 gIdentified Bronze boletes
- 200 gMedium-ground polenta
- 80 clVegetable stock
- 3 c. à soupeOlive oil
- 40 gParmesan, grated
- 1Garlic clove, crushed
- 2 branchesThyme sprigs
- 1 pincéeSalt and pepper
Method
- PreheatHeat the oven to 200 °C. Cut the cleaned boletes into evenly sized wedges.
- RoastMix the boletes with the oil, garlic and thyme. Spread them without overlap and roast for 25 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Cook the polentaPour the polenta into the simmering stock and cook according to the packet, stirring regularly. Fold in the Parmesan.
- ServeDivide the polenta between plates, add the hot boletes and season just before serving.
Cook only Bronze boletes that have been identified with certainty. Roast for the full 25 minutes and never assume cooking would neutralise a poisonous species.
Documented limit
Drying Bronze bolete: no retained protocol
This guide validates no species-specific drying time.This guide does not apply a generic drying time to Bronze bolete. It recommends freezing cooked portions so that the method remains documented and appropriate for the species.
- Keep the batch whole, identifiable and separate until the inspection required by the guide.
- Do not automatically apply the temperature or duration intended for another species.
- Use the “Freezing cooked portions” method detailed in the Storage section instead.
- Read the general drying guide to understand equipment, checks and safety limits without inferring a protocol for this batch.
Recommended storage
Freezing cooked portions
Up to 3 months at -18 °C.Freezing after cooking preserves a more pleasant texture than freezing raw mushrooms and makes thorough reheating easier.
- Clean, inspect and slice firm Bronze boletes.
- Pan-fry them for 20 minutes until thoroughly cooked and their water has evaporated.
- Cool in a thin layer and refrigerate within two hours.
- Freeze in small airtight portions marked with the species and date.
- Reheat from frozen over medium heat until the whole portion is piping hot.
