You probably know cardoncelli mushrooms, which we in Sicily more commonly call Ferla mushrooms or, in dialect, funci di ferula. They are a territorial excellence, as they grow spontaneously especially around the Mediterranean basin, but can also be found scattered throughout the rest of Italy. Some even consider them better than the famous porcini mushrooms because they have a really unique texture. They are indeed perfect for grilling, just like you would a steak, and that’s how I’ve enriched thispotato salad, creating an extraordinarily enticing dish! When you taste it, you’ll discover flavors and textures far from considering this dish as a mere side, becoming even more satisfying than a main course of meat or fish. Thanks to its possible combinations of pairings, it can transform based on the occasion into a unique dish suitable for everyone in a vegan style. In fact, if you add a protein to this basic recipe, it can become the perfect packed lunch to take to work or on a picnic, perhaps for the upcoming Easter Monday, or even great to serve at an informal buffet with friends. Try it in its many versions with tofu, boiled eggs, parmesan flakes, or why not with fillets of anchovies in oil.
If you love salads and like the idea of eating rich and substantial meals while staying light, then also try these easy and quick solutions:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economic
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Grill, Boil
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 1.3 lbs baby potatoes (small)
- 1.1 lbs cardoncelli mushrooms (already cleaned and sliced)
- 1 fresh spring onion
- 7 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 2.1 oz green olives (Sicilian)
- 2 cloves garlic
- to taste lemon zest
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- to taste fennel fronds
- 3.4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil (+ to taste)
- to taste salt
- to taste mixed peppercorns
Tools
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- 1 Brush
- 1 Casserole
- 1 Fork
- 1 Colander
- 1 Tea towel
- 1 Grill pan
- Tongs
- 1 Vegetable peeler
Steps
Carefully clean the potatoes’ skin* under running water using a food brush to remove all impurities and any remaining dirt.
Place the potatoes in a pot with cold water and bring it to a boil. Boil them for about 15′ or until, when pierced with a fork, it goes in easily.
Meanwhile, prepare the mushrooms: clean them with a slightly damp tea towel to remove any impurities.
Heat a non-stick grill pan well and grill the sliced mushrooms on low heat for about 3′.
Flip them using appropriate tongs and continue cooking for another 3′ or until golden.
At this point, the potatoes will be cooked, so turn off the heat, drain them, and let them cool in a colander.
While the potatoes are cooling, in a bowl season the sun-dried tomatoes, previously drained and patted dry with kitchen paper, adding oregano and green olives.
Add a generous drizzle of oil and the garlic cloves. Mix well and let it marinate for a few minutes.
Peel the cooled potatoes* by cutting each potato lengthwise.
With a knife, remove the skin from both sides of the cut, you’ll see it comes off very easily.
Simply cut them in half or, if you prefer, into smaller chunks but not too small.
Now assemble your salad: in a large salad bowl, combine the potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes with all their marinade.
Roughly chop the fresh spring onion including the green part of the stalk.
Adjust the salt, but don’t overdo it as olives and sun-dried tomatoes already contribute a nice salty touch to the mix.
Add the olive oil and a good grind of pepper.
Finally, finish with zest of an untreated lemon which will add freshness.
And add the filtered lemon juice.
Mix well to combine the flavors and garnish with the fennel fronds.
Serve with lemon wedges and more oil when serving.
And there you have it…the potato salad with grilled cardoncelli mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes is ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy your meal from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉The potato salad with grilled cardoncelli mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes keeps for several days, indeed over time, the flavors blend and make it even tastier, provided it is covered with plastic wrap and occasionally drizzled with oil.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣* The potatoes in this specific recipe can also be added with the skin, so if you like the slightly more rustic flavor, feel free to skip the peeling step.
🟣To this basic recipe, you can add a protein: if you want to keep the vegan style suggestion, try adding a tofu dice previously grilled along with the mushrooms and let everything marinate for about 1 hour in the fridge before serving; for a vegetarian version, try adding Greek feta or parmigiano or pecorino flakes. Or add 2-3 boiled eggs sliced. If you like fish, you can enrich this dish with some anchovies in oil or mackerel fillets also grilled or in oil.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can cardoncelli mushrooms be replaced with other types of mushrooms, and if so, which ones?
The best mushrooms for grilling are undoubtedly Pleurotus mushrooms, as they are nice and meaty and of large size. Obviously, you can choose other woodland mushrooms that lend themselves well to being cooked this way, as long as they are of large size.
