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This is a Lactarius deliciosus,

And this is another Lactarius deliciosus,

The young are somewhat rounded, as if he bowler type hat. As they grow the bowler becomes something like a sunbonnet.

Sometimes when you cut a slice, leaving a viscous red for that reason they are also called lactarius sanguifluus.

I do not say these words because I know them, I simply searched. I’m not an expert on the subject, my relationship with mushrooms goes through the supermarket. Not so for many of my fellow citizens. When the Níscalo (Spanish name) is renamed ROVELLO (pronounced ruvelló) your name in Catalan. The importance of this mushroom goes far beyond the mere phenomenon botanist / culinary, to become a national hallmark. The search and capture of these mushrooms are wrapped in a liturgy so complex that almost located at the level of a religion.

At this time of year any Catalan wooded area, defined as three pine woodland together becomes battleground boletaires (Catalan name of the person looking for mushrooms in the forest)

Not a necessary condition that the forest area is in Catalonia, for example the province of Soria is usual fate of “boletaires” Catalans those who did not hesitate a moment to be mounted in the jeep and crossed half of Spain to get so precious trophy.

In the mountains there are many other mushrooms, but Rovelló is the king. Around Rovelló contests, culinary experiences, Rovelló was the name of a popular cartoon character “made in Catalonia.” The passion of the Catalans by the mushrooms in general, but particularly for this mushroom was the reason that one of the most successful programs in the history of the Catalan television was “Caçadors of bolets” (mushroom hunters) because here in Catalunya the bolets not collected, nor are they sought, nor are caught. Here, the mushrooms are “hunted”

I always remember once, years ago, when we went hunting mushrooms with our grandfather Joseph. I remember when we stopped the car the grandfather said:

I’m going down here

Grandpa said pointing to the right side of the road where the slope of the mountain down to a small stream

We went with the kids and of course after finding a few worms, each more disgusting, then get a couple or three pools and then discuss among themselves, in the end the kids got tired and decided to return home as soon as the grandfather return. But time was passing and grandfather did not come. We came to seriously worry because the man was older. We call him loudly.

Avi Josep! Avi Josep!

I can ensure that the volume of our cries ensured that all the region knew that we were looking for l’avi Josep. It is true that the grandfather was a little deaf, but their way. Grandpa was suffering “selective” deafness. According to what matters, he could hear perfectly, but depending on, he heard nothing. That evening he did not hear. When we were starting to think about how he would tell his daughter (my mother-in-law) we had lost his father, grandfather suddenly appeared so happy for the left side of the road down the mountain, with a basket full of mushrooms. Exactly the opposite side where it was supposed that he had gone

Those places hidden in the mountains like that mythical “forat the vent” (wind hole) where “l’Avi Josep” filled baskets and more baskets are like the Holy Grail of boletaires. The boletaires are able to keep these places a secret until his deathbed. So if your son has been a “good son” and only in this case maybe they decide to pass on their wisdom to their descendant. Before they passed as “signs” on the mountain, like a stone, like a fallen tree, “20 steps north to cross a stream.” Now they passed as GPS coordinates. Everything for the Rovelló! whose ultimate goal is to be eaten

The real way to cook a Rovelló is grilled, but today I did not like a fire in the kitchen, I cook them in the pan. Grandpa would say this is sacrilege, but the grandfather died years ago.

Importantly, the rovellons have a bad habit of coming full of nature’s own stuff, twigs, some bug. Well, NEVER, NEVER have to clean under the tap, I know that most do so, but if I write here and my mother reads it, she cuts my neck. So cleaning the Sehan rovellons blowing, blowing itself, or alternatively with a soft paintbrush. There are always things, but as my mother.

What does not kill fat and all natural, so there we have the rovellons with some very natural twigs.

The thing is as simple as putting the rovellons face down in the pan or the grill (some people do it in the oven but I do not like).

When, by heat, the sheets curl a bit, it’s time to flip them

Add salt and a little grace, grace in my case is a bit of oil prepared with parsley, parsley just because today my husband had to go back to the office and get there reeking of garlic is not recommended, especially in time crisis. But a little garlic do very well
At the end look like this

A few sausages some grilled vegetables and you’ll look a real Catalan

A clarification, this form of cooking rovellons is not the most orthodox, but if the most similar to the traditional, at least at home. There are many other ways of using rovellons mostly in meat stews. L’avi rovellons was preserved in vinegar that was a traditional snack at home on Christmas Day but l’Avi died and their children should not have been enough good kids and he took the recipe to the grave and the location of “forat the vent ”