Fresh Morels!

[Hallie]

Perhaps I don't get out enough but until yesterday I'd never seen fresh morrel mushrooms. I bought some at a street market in Paris, along with some delicious looking girolles. Somehow it just seems cruel to throw them into a risotto. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make the most out of my morrels?

[Smoking Bear]

My suggestion to enjoy such a wonderful product would be not to complicate things. Make sure you rinse them well. Simply sauteed in butter with some finely chopped shallots would be the simplest way to enjoy their unique flavour and texture. Or for more body, add some fresh broad beans or asparagus to the fricasee. Keep it simple and you won't be disappointed. Enjoy!

[mogsob]

Oh no! I LOVE asparagus and morel rissoto! Another good way to enjoy morels is to make a morel sauce for veal -- another classic combination. And since you are making it at home, you can use nice large chunks of morel instead of the paltry servings most restaurants dish out!

[Matthew Grant]

I'll second a creamy morel sauce, also good with chicken.

[Tonyfinch]

I'll second a creamy morel sauce, also good with chicken.

Saute the morels in butter or EVOO. Take a few and slice and then loosen the skin of a free range chicken and press the morels in between the skin and the flesh, mostly around the breast.

Roast the chicken, basting with any escaped juices.

To the rest of the morels add some vermouth or white port, reduce quickly, add salt and black pepper, a touch of nutmeg and double cream. Reduce and thicken, sprinkle over some finely chopped parsley and pour over carved chicken having incorporated any chicken juices which may have escaped when the chicken was resting.

Edited March 24, 2003 by Tonyfinch (log)

[Simon Majumdar]

I'm with Smoking Bear. no muss no fuss. if you have a great ingredient, don't bugger about with it

Saute in a mix of Butter and Olive Oil and serve on a toasted brioche

S

[tommy]

brown butter is a morel's best friend.

Edited March 24, 2003 by tommy (log)

[guajolote]

The author Jim Harrison's favorite dish is sweetbreads, morels, and ramps (wild leeks) in a cream sauce. I made it once, it was fantastic.

[Jason Perlow]

Saute with with butter and EVOO, served on top of a prime steak. Done.

[Simon Majumdar]

Saute with with butter and EVOO, served on top of a prime steak. Done.

As ever, Jase takes something good and makes it better

Me- crappy brioche

Jase - Prime USDA

hats off to Mr P

S

[Jason Perlow]

Saute with with butter and EVOO, served on top of a prime steak. Done.

As ever, Jase takes something good and makes it better

Me- crappy brioche

Jase - Prime USDA

hats off to Mr P

S

Heh. One of my most memorable dining experiences I've ever had was at Craft in NYC, dumping some morels prepared in this way over a few slices of their prime steak. Way up there with every Lugers steak experience I've had.

[tommy]

i'll probably be stoned, but i rather like it when they're sauteed to the point where they juts get a bit crispy.

[Akiko]

Creamy morel sauce on pasta... mmmmm, I used to work at a restaurant where they made a dish where they made sauce from the morels and heavy cream, as well as chunks of morels, on wagon wheel pasta...this dish smelled absolutely amazing and tasted just as good.

Although, I only once was the lucky soul who got to clean those little things and I still have nightmares... bugs really like those little crevices...

[tommy]

so how do we clean them? i give 'em a good blast of water. i found that you can't leave em sit out too long to dry on the counter 'cause they start smelling like a wet sponge. this is not very good. of this, you can be assured.

[ngatti]

i'll probably be stoned, but i rather like it when they're sauteed to the point where they juts get a bit crispy.

It concentrates the flavor and adds a nice textural thingy. I do it all the time.

edit: To your second question; Give them a good going over with a pastry brush. Works for me.

Nick

Edited March 24, 2003 by ngatti (log)

[Lord Michael Lewis]

All fine ideas, as they do go especially well with asparagus and spring onions. I would however warn against sauteing in oil; it's too agressive. Butter is better due to its high water content that ensures it doesn't get really hot. Morels should really be 'stewed' in butter, and then used for whatever. The excess butterfat can be tipped away and the juices reduced and added back to the morels.

For something a bit different try lining a terrine with thinly sliced pancetta (Iberico, if possible) and then filling it with finely sliced waxy potatoes tossed in the butter from the stewed morels and a few layers of the morels themselves. Fold the pancetta over the top and cook in a bain-marie for an hour or so at 180ºC or until the potatoes are soft. Remove and weight down the terrine overnight. The next day you can eat it cold or saute slices in a little butter. Sauted, the terrine makes an excellent garnish for good beef.