Recipe: Hericium as "Cap i Pota"

A Catalan Classic Reimagined with Lion's Mane Mushroom

Some dishes speak of land, memory and slow cooking. "Cap i pota" is one of them: a traditional Catalan stew, deep and comforting, popularised in old-school Barcelona and turned into an icon at places like Casa Leopoldo. In this reinterpretation, chef Anna from Sajolida Gastroexperiences replaces the meat with Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane mushroom). Its fibrous texture and ability to absorb the sofrito make it a surprising plant-based alternative that preserves the soul of the original dish while bringing it closer to a lighter, more sustainable cuisine.

Hericium as "Cap i Pota" (4 servings)

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh Lion's Mane mushroom (Hericium)
• 200 g cooked chickpeas
• 2 onions (ideally from Figueres)
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon flour (or cornstarch for a gluten-free version)
• 1 chilli pepper
• Salt and extra virgin olive oil
• Water or vegetable broth

For the picada

• 1 fried garlic clove
• Fresh parsley
• 1 slice of toasted bread (gluten-free if desired)
• A handful of hazelnuts
• A little cooking broth to loosen

Optional (non-vegan version): add small pieces of spicy chorizo or serrano ham.

Method

1. Prepare the Hericium: cut the Hericium into irregular bite-sized pieces.
2. Make the sofrito: in a clay pot (preferably) or a heavy-bottomed pan, sauté the finely chopped garlic and onion in extra virgin olive oil until golden.
3. Add depth to the stew: add the chilli pepper and sweet paprika. Immediately incorporate the grated tomatoes and cook until the sofrito thickens and loses its acidity.
4. Incorporate the Hericium: add the Hericium pieces and briefly sauté them so they soak up the sofrito. Add water or vegetable broth until just covered.
5. Add the chickpeas: stir in the chickpeas and let the stew simmer gently for 15–20 minutes over low heat.
6. Prepare the picada: in a mortar, pound the fried garlic, parsley, toasted bread and hazelnuts together. Loosen with a little cooking broth until you get a paste.
7. Final touch: stir the picada into the stew and cook for 5 more minutes. Adjust salt and serve hot.

About the inspiration

This recipe, created by chef Anna from @Sajolida_Gastroexperiences, is inspired by the "cap i pota" from Casa Leopoldo (Barcelona). A way of paying tribute to traditional Catalan cuisine, reinterpreted through the fungi kingdom with Lion's Mane mushroom as the star ingredient.