The porcini, known as cèpe in France, is widely regarded as the king of mushrooms, a wild treasure of Italian and French cooking celebrated for a flavour few other fungi can rival. It is a handsome mushroom, with a thick, firm stem marked by a fine reticulated web pattern and a large, fleshy brown cap that is rounded when young and flattens with age. Dried, these porcini become one of the most powerful flavouring ingredients a kitchen can keep.

Their taste is profoundly earthy and nutty, with a deep, woodsy umami and a satisfying, meaty texture, and drying concentrates all of this so intensely that dried porcini often carry more flavour than fresh. Rehydrated in warm water they soften and plump within minutes, and the fragrant soaking liquid becomes a rich mushroom stock, prized for enriching the very dishes the porcini will complete.

They are the soul of countless classics, above all a proper risotto ai funghi porcini, and they lend their depth to pasta sauces, ragù, soups and sauces for meat and game. Even a small handful transforms a dish, adding a savoury, autumnal richness that is unmistakable. Stored dry, they keep beautifully.

Why choose Sea House Dried Porcini Mushrooms?

• The king of mushrooms. A wild delicacy at the heart of Italian and French cuisine.
• Intense, concentrated flavour. Deeply earthy and nutty, often more powerful dried than fresh.
• A rich stock in every soak. The fragrant rehydrating liquid enriches risottos, sauces and soups.
• The soul of risotto. Essential to risotto ai funghi porcini, pasta sauces and ragù.
• Luxury that keeps. A shelf stable 500g pack of a prized ingredient, ready all year round.