Polish marinated mushrooms (Grzyby marynowane)

1. Choose small, firm mushrooms with closed caps; clean them (rinse quickly, don't soak) and halve the larger ones.

2. Boil the mushrooms for 5 minutes in a pan of salted water just to cover, then drain (discard the cooking water).

3. For the marinade, bring the water to the boil with the sugar, salt, allspice, bay leaves and mustard seeds, boil for 2 minutes, then add the wine vinegar and bring back to the boil.

4. Slice the onion into thin rings and layer with the mushrooms in jars rinsed with boiling water.

5. Pour over the hot marinade so it covers them completely, seal immediately and leave to cool upside down. Let them mature in the fridge for at least 2 days before opening.

6. Serve cold with cold platters or roast meats, or as a starter drizzled with a little oil and spring onion.

Tip: In Poland, pickling wild mushrooms (porcini, saffron milk caps, slippery jacks) is an autumn family ritual; they are excellent with shop-bought button mushrooms too and keep in the fridge for 2-3 months.