April 26, 2005

The Sustainable Kitchen

Beware of those with loose morels

Stu Stein

Morchella elata – The Black Morel Mushroom. My first experience with this infamous fungus was when one of my foragers in Kansas City (yes, we do have wild mushrooms in the Midwest), allowed me to accompany him on a mushroom hunt. Of course I was blindfolded, driven around in circles and sworn to secrecy first. There is nothing like the first time you smell the woods right after the last snow melts, the crunch of the underbrush from last year’s fires and the thrill of the chase. “Be very, very quiet, I’m hunting morels!”

German folklore attributes the origin of morels to the Devil. Offended by a very wrinkled old woman, he transformed her into this mushroom. Ever since, calling a woman a morel in Germany has been a major insult and probably wouldn’t go over that big in the U.S.

The mountains surrounding the Rogue Valley are known as a prime area for finding morels. They are one of the first mushrooms to appear in the spring, even before all the snow has disappeared. They thrive in burned forests and usually sprout in the year after a major fire.

There are three main groups of morels (love these names): Morchella esculenta – the yellow morel usually found in the Midwest, Morchella deliciosa – the rare white or tan morel and Morchella elata – the black morel usually found here in the Pacific Northwest. Morels are difficult to see in the woods but easy to identify. They are hollow inside with an ivory stem that curves to meet a honeycomb cap. One of my favorite characteristics is their deep musky, earthy aroma.

Beware the “false morel” or Gyrometra esculenta. Why? Not because I have stock in a morel forest but because they contain a very carcinogenic and potentially lethal chemical that resembles rocket fuel. Besides, they don’t taste that good. False morels resemble black morels but their cap is more deeply folded and smooth and not fused to the stem.

Morels are highly perishable. The key is to keep them cool, dry and in a low humidity environment. Store them in the coldest part or your refrigerator in a paper bag with holes poked in the bag for a little ventilation. Do not store in a sealed plastic bag. This keeps moisture in and will lead to rotting.

Clean them when you are ready to use, by brushing away any dirt or pine needles. If they are extremely dirty rinse quickly under cold running water and drain in a colander. Morels are like little sponges so try to avoid completely soaking them in water.

Like all wild mushrooms, morels should never be eaten raw. Fresh morels respond well when cooked with dry heat like sautéing, roasting or grilling. Avoid cooking in large amounts of liquid, as their delicate flavor will be lost.

Dried morels make a great substitute for fresh (about one ounce of dried morels equals about 1 pound fresh morels) but must be first reconstituted. I cover dried morels with a combination of boiling water and white wine or Madeira wine. They should be soft and ready to use after about ten minutes. Lift the mushrooms out of the liquid and place them in a colander to drain. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, leaving any grit behind. You can use the reconstituted morels as you would fresh and more importantly, use the strained liquid as part of the sauce or as a base for soup.

Despite their earthy aroma, morels have a subtle flavor. The key to enhancing their concentrated mushroom flavor is by first cooking them in a dry heat environment to caramelize their natural sugars. Then, add just enough liquid to loosen the pan drippings and coat the cooked mushrooms, letting no flavor escape. One technique to bring out their natural flavors is by sprinkling them with the “holy trinity” of salt, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar before sautéing or roasting.

Morels are fantastic by themselves; however, I like adding a touch of acid to brighten their flavor and fresh, savory, mild herbs, like chervil, parsley or even tarragon, to enhance the earthy aromatic element. Morel’s honeycomb-like ridges are perfect for both flavoring and absorbing sauces. Stick to simple sauces with a touch of wine and cream in order to not lose the wonderful fragrance of the mushroom and to help to balance their woodsy flavor. After all, you don’t have to try too hard to bring out the flavor of a food that isn’t the least bit timid.

The following recipe is a perfect light side dish for those crisp spring nights. This is a wonderful accompaniment for a roasted wild salmon medallion or a grilled piece of pasture-raised beef.

Morel Mushroom-

Potato Ragoût

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 shallots or 1 small white onion, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 pound Morel mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, quartered

1 pound spinach or other braising greens, stems removed and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup white wine

kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Place a medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat and add vegetable oil. Add shallots and mushrooms and sauté until soft and lightly colored, approximately 10 minutes. Add potatoes and continue cooking until the potatoes are slightly caramelized and tender, an additional 12 to 15 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic and toss to coat in oil. Add wine and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated and the pan is almost dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Advance Preparation: The ragoût may be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Add a little oil to a hot sauté pan and heat the ragoût just prior to serving.

Substitutions and Options: Other wild or cultivated mushroom may be substituted but the ragoût will lack the morel’s nut-like taste and crisp, chewy texture.

Makes 4 side dish servings