In Search Of Morell Recipes

[Jen Madura]

Hi

Today in the mail we received a package of freshly picked morell mushrooms from my mother in law who is in MI. She included directions on how to prepare them in a little butter garlic and white wine. I was wondering if anyone had any recipes for these kinds of mushrooms.

Cheers,

Jen

[CompassRose]

Pretty much any mushroom recipe is good... but keep it simple, because you don't want to miss the morel goodness. A simple morel saute over pasta or polenta, perhaps... morels on toast... maybe a rice pilaf with morels...

Soak them first in cold salted water, though. As you can see, morels also offer a perfect retreat for all things crawly.

Oh, morels. I got a big bag of them two years ago, in, of all places, a concrete planter thing at the side of a Canadian Tire. It seems their piny mulch came in thick with morel spores. Sadly, they've never returned (and I have checked!)

[Alethea]

Check out this thread for morel ideas. There are several scrumptious-sounding recipes posted on it.

I with I could get freebie fresh morels, via mulch, mother-in-law(if I had one) or otherwise...

[hannah_phi]

Mmmmm... morels are one of the best foods on earth We used to go "hunt" them when I was a kid. We always picked some wild onions on our way home and sauteed both with butter and squeezed a little lemon over the top, sometimes served over pasta, others just eaten in a bowl. One could substitute scallions for the wild onions. Whatever you do eat them quick and don't bog them down with heavy sauce, the're quite delicate (physically and flavor wise).

[Jen Madura]

Thanks so much for the suggestions!

Since it is just the two of us, I only prepared half of what we received. After soaking them in salted water, I halved them and sauted in butter, minced garlic and white wine. Then served over angel hair pasta. Unbelievable...they were soooo good! Turns out this has been a banner year for morels. Now what to prepare with the rest......

Cheers,

Jen

[TamiKnight]

After following some of the recent threads on morels, I was thrilled to see them at the new gourmet grocery store that opened near us. Then I saw the price: $30.00 a pound. I think I'm going to have to forego the delicacy and live vicariously through the rest of you.

[muriel3002]

I know I'm replying a little late to this thread, but we just went out with my aunt and got 139 morels - blacks, greys and whites. Dear aunt has had over 700 morels this year - a banner year!

We are drying them and using them fried for steaks..... but I'll be checking out the other recipes.

[RobinC]

Morels are pretty abundant here in the Pacifc NW. Here are few recipes I found in my NW cookbooks. They aren't "light" recipes, but I think lot's of us have read enough CL to have a few ideas on how to lighten-up recipes.

Penne with Morels and Spring Vegetables
From: Williams Sonoma - The Pacific NW

Morels, with their earthy mushroom flavor, make this spring pasta special. They grow all over the NW in the spring, but as with any wild mushroom, you should refrain from picking them unless you are, or with, and expert forager.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz fresh morel or other flavorful wild or clutivated mushrooms (about 6 large), rinsed quickly or wiped lean, and halved if large
1 leek, including tender pale greens, finely julienned
2 oz prosciutto, diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch swiss chard, about 3/4 lb, leaves finely shredded and stems ut into 1" pieces
table salt to taste
1lb asparagus, tough ends removed, and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
1 cup fresh or frozen baby lima beans
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 lb penne
grated zest of 1 lemon (2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup grated or shaved pecorino romano cheese

In a large frying pan over medioum-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, leeks, prosciutto, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard wilts, 3 - 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil. Add table salt to taste and the chard stems. Boil until tender, about 3 minutes. Scoop the stems out with a wire skimmer and add to the frying pan.

Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until tender, 2 - 3 minutes. The timing will depend upon the thickness of the spears. Scoop out the asparagus and add to the frying pan. Add the lima beans to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Scoop out and add to the frying pan. Season the vegetables with the coarse salt and set aside; keep warm.

Add the penne to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the wasta water. Place the pasta and the reserved water in a large warmed serving bowl.

Pour the contents of the frying pan over the pasta, add the lemon zest and cheese, toss well. Serve immediately.

Serves 6
Nutritional Analysis:
Cal 490
Protein 21g
Carb 70g
Total fat 15g

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Morel Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Garlic

From: Wildwood - Cooking from the Pacific NW

As if to suggest her own perfect pairing, Mother Nature brings morels and asparagus into season together. The grassy undertones of the tender asparagus complement the earthiness of the morels, resulting in a flavorful rite of spring.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken thighs, or 4 boneless chicken brest halves

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 Yukon Gold or new potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 2-inch lengths
1 lb morel mushrooms, wiped clean and halved, or 1 lb portobello mushrooms, sliced
5 cups (5 oz) mixed baby greens
4 oz fresh white goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

In a large self-sealing platic bag, combine the olive oil, vinegar, rosemary, and pepper. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and rotate to coat the chicken. Refrigerate for 2 hours to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

One and a half hours before serving, preheat the oven to 375°. Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife.

Meanwhile, to make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, basil, mustard, salt, and pepper; set aside.

In a large pan, cover the potatoes with water. Add the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just fork tender (do not over-cook). Drain well. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and gently toss with 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, red onion, and asparagus for 4 minutes, or until just tender. Add to the cooked potatoes.

Using the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the mushrooms over medium heat for 6 - 8 minutes, or until soft. Add to the potatoes and gently toss together with the greens and remaining vinaigrette.

To serve, portion the warm salad onto 4 large plates. Top each serving with 1 or 2 pieces of chicken. Distribute crumbled goat cheese over the greens and serve.