Botanical: Lactarius rubrilacteus

Description: Cap: 5 to 12 cm, convex, becoming centrally depressed and vase-shaped; margin inrolled when young, sometimes upturned in age; surface viscid when moist; banded concentrically with shades of orange; often developing green discolorations in age; flesh thick, brittle, bleeding a sparse, dark red latex when cut; taste and odor mild. Gills: running down stem, narrow, close to crowded, dull orange, bleeding a dark red latex. Stem: 2 to 5 cm tall, 1.0 to 2.5 cm thick, solid and brittle when young, hollow in age, equal to tapered at the base; surface smooth, unpolished, dull orange-buff, bruising green where handled. Spore print: pale yellow.

Habitat: Scattered to gregarious with conifers, especially Douglas fir second growth; both fringes understory.

Edibility: Good

Primary Keys: Cap and stem snap cleanly (unless wormy), scant ruby colored latex when snapped (especially at gill/cap interface), concentrically banded cap, slow blue-green staining (sometimes already present in older specimens); latex not yellow, white or purple; taste not peppery or bitter.

Huevos Revueltos con Rovellon

This Spanish dish serves two for breakfast, and the side-by-side presentation features the mushrooms as a separate flavor. The recipe can also be assembled as scrambled eggs or an omelet. With more cream or half-and-half and doubling the recipe, it easily converts to a quiche filling or a frittata.

2 cups Lactarius rubrilacteus, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
4 T. olive oil
2 T. flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 T. good dry sherry
4 eggs
2 T. cream
salt and pepper to taste

• Beat egg, cream, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat 2 T. of olive oil in skillet and saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic over medium-low heat until mushrooms are cooked and liquid has evaporated. Add sherry, salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking and stirring until liquid has condensed into a sauce.
• Remove mushroom mixture and keep warm. Clean and reheat skillet.
• Add and heat remaining oil, then pour beaten eggs into skillet. Stir with wooden spoon periodically until the eggs are cooked soft.
• Place the scrambled eggs on one side of serving platter and place the mushroom mixture on the other side. Sprinkle parsley over all and serve.