DRIED mushrooms appeal to me as a subject this week because we are about halfway through the year between the seasons for wild mushrooms' natural prolific growth in the woods throughout Scotland.

We are blessed, here at Kinloch, with beechwoods on our doorstep through which we positively shuffle among chanterelles from July to September. Roll on July. But in the months between our homegrown wild mushrooms, I make good use of the dried wild varieties. You can buy excellent assortments of dried mushrooms and they make such a good present - rather a jar of wild mushrooms than a box of chocs any day. Dried wild mushrooms have a surprising amount of flavour. You can utilise this twice over, if you soak the mushrooms to reconstitute them, then use the liquor from the soaking in whatever dish you are creating.

On the other hand, there are dishes for which it is unnecessary to reconstitute the dried mushrooms. A perfect example is a risotto. In the making of risotto the mushrooms plump up and release their delicious taste as the rice cooks with each addition of stock. And the taste of risotto made with dried mushrooms is much more intense than in risotto made using field mushrooms.

Another example of the use of how dried mushrooms can be used without pre-soaking is in soup. For a low calorie and full flavour soup, heat finely chopped onion and, if you like, finely sliced leeks till both are soft, then add stock and simmer the dried mushrooms in the stock with the vegetables. If you want to add a bit more substance, add a handful of long grain rice about 15 minutes before serving, letting the soup simmer very gently for that time.

Dried mushrooms are so versatile in their use. Their intense flavour is enhancing to all meats, game and chicken, but with fish you do have to take a bit of care and not use them with too delicate a fish. Whereas you can use farmed mushrooms, the ordinary ones we buy in the shops all year round with any food whatsoever, the dried wild mushrooms are so distinctive a taste that they can override that of fish, unless it is of a robust nature such as monkfish, or halibut or turbot.

When you buy dried mushrooms check the contents of the container to make sure that the slices of dried mushrooms within aren't too dark in colour - this will mean, if they are very dark, that the flavour will be almost unpleasantly strong, of an earthy nature.

I came across a recipe in an American food magazine a couple of years ago, where the chef instructed that the dried mushrooms be ground to a powder in a coffee grinder. He then scatters this powder over fish. I know that however carefully I cleaned my coffee grinder, my ground dried mushrooms would have the smell and taste of Continental roast, so I am not about to try this recipe, but I pass on the idea for those who have a spare unused coffee grinder!

These mushrooms are useful to dress up a gravy for either roast beef or venison, both strong meats and eminently suitable to be complemented by the delicious flavour of the mushrooms. For this use, it is vital to soak the dried mushrooms for 3-4 hours but preferably overnight. Then chop the mushrooms and use their stock in the gravy making.

You can't pretend that you are using dried mushrooms just as you would the cultivated type because the one thing you cannot do is to saute them. And in most mushroom recipes, sauteeing is essential, to bring out the flavour. However, you will by now have gathered that the abundant taste of dried mushrooms means that you in no way miss out on flavour.

Last year, when Godfrey and I were in Hong Kong, I noticed the extent to which dried mushrooms are used in their cooking. One dish is very simple, but our family love it. For this you need to soak the dried mushrooms overnight in water with a measure of dry sherry or rice wine in it. Then a jointed chicken is simmered with the mushrooms, their liquid, and extra water if needed to cover the chicken. Simmer with the pan or casserole uncovered, and as the liquid simmers, it reduces and becomes syrupy and more intense in flavour. Turn the chicken over from time to time. The only other ingredient, apart from salt and pepper to taste, are finely sliced spring onions scattered over the top. Serve with boiled rice and stir-fried spinach containing grated lemon rind.

Here is a recipe for a dried mushroom sauce. You can use this to fill pancakes, or to serve with grilled chops, chicken, or steaks.