Jean Michel went mushroom picking with Alain, our friend and neighbour from Les Grouets who led him straight to these wild hedgehog mushrooms. The French name pied-de-mouton means sheep’s foot but we can’t find the origin. The fine needle-like spores are bitter if not brushed off. Delicious cooked in a little olive oil and served with veal cutlets and baked potatoes
Jean Michel est parti aux champignons aujourd’hui avec Alain, notre ami et voisin des Grouets qui l’a emmené droit à ces pieds-de-mouton. Nous ne savons pas l’origine du nom. Il faut enlever les fines aiguilles à la brosse car elles sont amères. Délicieux poêlés dans un peu d”huile d’olive et servi avec des côtes de veau et pommes au four.
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4 replies on “Wild Hedgehog Mushrooms – Pieds-de-mouton”
In the thumbnail they remind me of bone.
The French name translates literally as ‘sheep feet’, but I think pieds in this case is being used to mean ‘small plant’ and the English equivalent is probably something like ‘vegetable sheep’, and their pale undulating shape reminded someone long ago of wool fleece.
They must be in their prime. Our neighbor brought us a bag of them recently. Have yet to make a dish with them yet though.
@William – they do look rather like a bone.
@Susan – maybe although the singular is pied de mouton and not pieds-de-mouton. It’s also called barbe de bouc (goatee).
@Stuart – yes they were in their prime. Aren’t you ever tempted to go mushroom-picking with your neighbour