Gilled Bolete

Porcini are also known as Boletes and Steinpilze; also called cèpes, these delicious, earthy treasures are members of the Boletus edulis species of wild mushroom; they're pale brown in color and can weigh from an ounce or two up to a pound; their caps can range from 1 to 10 inches in diameter; Porcini have a smooth, meaty texture and pungent, woodsy flavor that is much regaled; you'll seldom find them fresh in the United States but you might try looking for them in specialty produce markets in late spring or in the autumn; if you get lucky, choose those with firm, large (about 6-inch) caps and pale undersides; the dried form of this mushroom is more readily available; choose those that are a tan to pale brown in color; avoid those that are crumbly; dried porcini must be softened in hot water for about 20 minutes before using; they can be substituted for cultivated mushrooms in most recipes; one ounce of dried mushrooms will serve about 4 people in soups, stuffings, stews and the like.