The cep is the king of the forest

Then just take off your T-shirt inside out if you don't have anything else to pick with you, because you'll be hard-pressed to find anything more delicate than young porcini mushrooms.

They are perfect to serve raw, in salads, alone with a good garlic vinaigrette or on top of carpaccio instead of parmesan.

On the next page you will find the recipe for ravioli with porcini mushrooms.

When they get bigger, they are best fried. A real poor man's dish is porcini steaks - thick slices rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in butter or oil, or grilled and served with a dressing of oil, lemon and garlic.

If the stems are nice, they can be used as a ravioli filling, as here. The result is a very flavorful and delicious dish that deserves a proper wine pairing.

Elegant

The rich flavor of porcini mushrooms with hints of nuts brings to mind elegant specimens of the Chardonnay grape, preferably from its "birthplace", namely Burgundy.

The porcini mushroom flavor also involves some sweetness, and it is an element found in a number of white Burgundies.

At the same time, we need some acidity to clean up not only the somewhat heavy mushroom flavor but also the butter and cheese. After testing a few alternatives, we ended up with the sub-region, or appellation as it is called, Meursault, which produces rich wines with a wide flavor range, without sacrificing elegance.

Matrot Meursault is perfect to drink now with its ripe aromas of butter, oak and minerals. The taste is full-bodied with lovely freshness that grows across the palate.

An elegant wine that you don't drink every day, but perfect for a special occasion or when you're going to enjoy some of the greatest Norwegian nature produces, such as lobster or, as here, porcini mushroom ravioli.

This burgundy is also available in many outlet stores and is therefore easy to obtain.

Fresh acids

Hugel Estate Riesling is full-bodied and fresh with relatively rich fruit and goes very well with most mushroom dishes. Hugel Classic Pinot Gris is an even better choice, softer and rounder with ripe fruit and some spice.

Great wines for most people, and many don't want to go any further than this, either in terms of price or complexity.

The porcini ravioli also handles red wine without any problems. If you are the type who cannot resist the precious drops of Burgundy, Matrot Blagny La Piece sous le bois is a good tip. This wine is incredibly delicate and soft, but at the same time resilient, and is a perfect combination for the porcini ravioli.

More punch?

But it is also possible to go down in price. If you are one of those who prefer wines with a bit of punch, both Ruberpan Valpolicella Classico Superiore and Allegrini Palazzo della Torre are good choices.

While the first is reminiscent of a pinot noir, the second is made using the ripasso method, which means that fully fermented Valpolicella is poured over the still active sediment in the barrels where the Amarone has fermented.

Here it undergoes a new alcoholic fermentation that increases the power of both alcohol and flavor in the wine. The aroma offers pickled cherries and barrel spices, the taste is juicy, round and sweet, a real seducer in other words.

Facts about porcini mushrooms

The cep (boletus edulis) belongs to the boletus family. The cap is light brown for young specimens and becomes somewhat darker for older ones. The gills are white and become more greenish-yellow with age. The stem has a faint net pattern.

For the youngest specimens, the whole mushroom is used, even raw if it is completely clean. For the largest specimens, only the cap is used as the tube layer can be a bit unappetizing and the stem rough.

Grows in coniferous and deciduous forests all over the country. A good edible mushroom with three stars.