Loose Morels <---- Bad Pun!

[zoramargolis]

From the Washington Post Thursday Home section: After the Rains, a Mushroom Boom

I love how they were "just seeing what was there", not picking, because it's illegal in a national park. They weren't picking because there was a Washington Post reporter along. You better believe that if the mushroom hunters were there by themselves and found choice edibles, they would've picked them.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

I wonder what effect the current weather pattern will have on the 'shroom crop this year. I heard reports that they (morels) were popping up early last week. But my guess is that the sub-freezing temperatures have put the kibosh on that.

[Heather]

There were some fine looking morels at the Penn Qtr. market last week. I wish I had bought some. This weather can't be good for them.

[crackers]

As for them liking tulip poplars, this is correct. I actually have planted a tulip poplar in my yard in the hopes that in 20-30 years I will have my own source in my own back yard.

I live in the forest and spotted a morel popping up through the moss underneath an old double tulip poplar this morning. Right next to the driveway. Question: if it's the only one, should I let it stay so the spores will disperse and create more for next year? I've lived there for over two decades and never seen any before.

[RaisaB]

I live in the forest and spotted a morel popping up through the moss underneath an old double tulip poplar this morning. Right next to the driveway. Question: if it's the only one, should I let it stay so the spores will disperse and create more for next year? I've lived there for over two decades and never seen any before.

Ha-ha, you revealed your spot! I know where you live! I am foraging for mushrooms tomorrow!

ETA: If you really want to propagate them, follow this link and skip to step 25 after the the cultivation of spores!Morels

[crackers]

Darlin', if you're willing to drive 150 miles in the pouring rain today, then you are welcome to forage all you want! Just be sure to leave them (if you find any) in a basket on the front porch before you leave.

Those 24-step propogation instructions were hilarious.

Step 14: After the schlerotia are visible within the jars, prepare some clean trays to receive the mixture for fruiting. Construct a fruiting room where temperature, humidity, light and fresh, filtered, air can be precisely controlled. The Mushroom Cultivator by Stamets and Chilton has excellent ideas on growing rooms.

Step 15: Make a fruiting substrate mix of 20% sand, 30% potting soil, 50% organic material composed of 80% small hardwood chips (ash, oak, maple, beech, elm, apple, etc.), 10% rice hulls, 5% soybean meal, 5% sphagnum, and a small amount of lime (the mineral, not the fruit) to bring the pH to 7.1-7.3. Mix well.

I'd probably use 9% rice hulls and 6% soybean meal and screw it all up.

[Heather]

What, don't you have a HEPA hood, petri dishes, and an autoclave at home?

[Anna Blume]

Last night I finally got around to braising thin rounds of baby white turnips simply in chicken stock and butter until tender and beginning to caramelize. I then added rings of the largest of my morels and cooked them briefly. Seasoned only with salt and pepper.

I really liked the combination--a lot. However, perhaps I was expecting too much from the morels. The texture was more apparent to me than anything else.

Having been advised not to combine them with ramps in a risotto, I figured the advice stems from the delicacy of this mushroom's flavor. The turnips were so young that the flavor only had a little bite, but I wonder if even that overwhelmed the morels. I know risottos are made with asparagus and cream sauces for egg pasta with ham.

Is it best to prepare morels so that the only other ingredients are there as complementary flavors: shallots or chives and then butter, cream, etc.? Better the day of purchase than 3 days later? Or in larger quantities?

I have five left and still plan to serve them with fresh pasta.

[giant shrimp]

Is it best to prepare morels so that the only other ingredients are there as complementary flavors: shallots or chives and then butter, cream, etc.? Better the day of purchase than 3 days later? Or in larger quantities?

I have five left and still plan to serve them with fresh pasta.

sounds like you are on the right track, the simpler the better. a sprinkling of parsley and parmesan at the end wouldn't hurt. i really like morels, but used to cook them primarily when we would go out and find them. i bought them at the farmers market a couple of times last spring, had almost forgotten they need to be soaked to get out the bugs and grit. they are expensive when you buy them, so once a season may be enough for me. i don't use them sparingly but when they pop up at restaurants they are added with restraint and the cooks seem to know what they are doing. (palena covers just about everything that pops up in the spring.) i also like the little honey mushrooms at the market, they may come in later, early summer. they are slightly sour, sweet and sticky. texture-wise, i have found that some weaker morels can turn too soft quickly, even crumbly or mushy, which doesn't hurt the flavor when you get them in the pan. if you store them carefully, though, they can easily go for a few days at the bottom of the refrigerator. i wrap them in a damp towel, the same way i handle most fresh produce, since our haul always surpasses what we are able to use in the first few days of the week.

[mktye]

I really like the following recipe for morels and asparagus. Although I've only made it with dried morels, I suspect it would also be good with fresh ones (but would require a bit of tweaking).

Asparagus with Black Morels

Serves 8

The stunning combination of asparagus and morels makes for an elegant, easy-to-prepare and marvelous spring vegetable dish. Though excellent with fresh morels, this dish is even better when made with dried morels which have a deeper flavor.

The milk-and-water soaking liquid, a very important step in the recipe, makes the morels more succulent, but be sure to strain it through several layers of cheesecloth before using. The perfume of the sauce becomes intoxicatingly intense if it is prepared in advance and allowed to stand a few hours. Serve alone before or after a main course, so that the extraordinary flavor and aroma can be appreciated.

2 ounces dried dark morels, stemmed, halved if large

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste

salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream or crème fraiche

½ cup chicken stock

5 dozen asparagus spears

1 tablespoon fine Port or Sherry (I used Marsala)

12 sprigs Italian parsley

1. In a bowl, soak the morels in the milk and 1¼ cups of warm water until softened, about 30 minutes. Scoop up the morels, squeeze the liquid back into the bowl and set the morels aside. Strain the soaking liquid through cheesecloth and reserve it. Rinse the morels thoroughly under running water to remove any sand. Combine the soaking liquid and morels in a skillet and bring the liquid almost to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes or until the liquid has been reabsorbed by the morels. Add the butter, ½ cup of water, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, partially covered, 5 to 10 minutes, or until the morels are tender and the liquid in the skillet has once again evaporated. Add half the cream and the stock; bring back to a boil and remove from the heat. (Do not worry about the abundant amount of sauce, the morels will absorb most of it.) Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

2. Wash the asparagus under running water, break off the bottom portion and peel the spears using a paring knife or a swivel-bladed peeler. Cook the asparagus, until just tender in boiling salted water (time depends upon the thickness and age of the asparagus). Drain it on a kitchen cloth; cover, and set it aside. (The dish can be prepared several hours in advance to this point.)

3. Just before serving, reheat the morels and sauce in the skillet, add the Port or Sherry and the remaining cream. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice. Reheat the asparagus in a microwave or arrange the stalks on a flat plate and reheat over simmering water. Pour the sauce over the asparagus, strew with torn bits of flat-leaf parsley, and serve.

From: Mostly Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert

[Anna Blume]

M. Thanks for taking the time. Funny, that is one of the cookbooks I let go at Porcupine's auction last summer.

Yes, simple preparations are best. The pasta was very good, but any excuse to use cream, cheese, etc. I appreciated the suggestion of adding stock before the cream. I think the flavor of fresh morels is just very delicate and a lot, intact, would be optimal.

[Al Dente]

Speaking of fungi...

Freaky Fat Fungi Fossil Found

Man, that ain't a mushroom, that's a mushmansion.

[hillvalley]

Okay, all you loose morels people, I need help. I've got two containers full waiting to be used tomorrow night. From reading the thread I know that I can soak them, if they were dried I would use mktye's recipe suggestion above and if I were Zora I would go get some veal chops and go to town. But veal is not going to happen and morels are fresh, so what to do? I'd like a simple preperation where the flavor of the shroom is what comes through.

I was thinking a risotto made with green garlic and veggie broth. I thought about mushroom broth but figured that would hid the morel flavor. And should the morels be sliced, chopped, diced? Sauteed or straight into the risotto? I've got a combo of piave and romano to finish it off. Thoughts?

[pizza man]

Okay, all you loose morels people, I need help. I've got two containers full waiting to be used tomorrow night. From reading the thread I know that I can soak them, if they were dried I would use mktye's recipe suggestion above and if I were Zora I would go get some veal chops and go to town. But veal is not going to happen and morels are fresh, so what to do? I'd like a simple preperation where the flavor of the shroom is what comes through.

I was thinking a risotto made with green garlic and veggie broth. I thought about mushroom broth but figured that would hid the morel flavor. And should the morels be sliced, chopped, diced? Sauteed or straight into the risotto? I've got a combo of piave and romano to finish it off. Thoughts?

Cut them in half, scrape out the dirt inside (if it has it) saute them quickly in a little olive oil and butter (olive oil so the butter doesn't burn) until they are just starting to get soft, throw in a couple of fresh basil leaves (or parsley) and dump the whole pan on top of some good bread that has been grilled. Serve as an antipasto. Oh, don't forget a little salt and cracked pepper

[CrescentFresh]

Cut them in half, scrape out the dirt inside (if it has it) saute them quickly in a little olive oil and butter (olive oil so the butter doesn't burn) until they are just starting to get soft, throw in a couple of fresh basil leaves (or parsley) and dump the whole pan on top of some good bread that has been grilled. Serve as an antipasto. Oh, don't forget a little salt and cracked pepper

I plan to do almost the same thing, but will add some blanched and chopped asparagus, a touch of chicken stock, some heavy cream, perhaps some white wine, and then serve it over fresh tagliatelle. (And enjoy it with a nice iced tea! )

[Anna Blume]

What Did Waitman Do?

Last night, I sautéed mine, sliced, briefly. Seasoned. Modest squirt of lemon for friend who is fine w butter but couldn't deal with cream. Rest got heavy cream and a little Parm for that night's chicken. Snipped chives. Asparagus on the side.

Now I understand the fuss!!!

Funny, I just re-read comments above after the fact. Late lunch today: two expensive (though less than $8 at Ferry Plaza) market eggs w three slivered ramps and a tablespoon of the leftover morel cream. Not the sort of thing I'd plan to make, but the concentrated morel-cream mixture held its own and was actually perfect for the richness of the bright yellow curds. (Grrr on that sentence and on the rest of this post. Glad I don't write dining reviews for a living.)

[hillvalley]

I plan to do almost the same thing, but will add some blanched and chopped asparagus, a touch of chicken stock, some heavy cream, perhaps some white wine, and then serve it over fresh tagliatelle. (And enjoy it with a nice iced tea! )

Your doctor called...cut out the cream and wine and your fine.

Love,

Your online Jewish mother

[CrescentFresh]

Your doctor called...cut out the cream and wine and your fine.

Love,

Your online Jewish mother

Thanks for the advice, Mom, but I'm glad I didn't listen. Tasty!

[Waitman]

Unfortunately we did not eat our morels on Sunday, and by last night they had become a slimy, inedible mess.

And yes, we stored them in an open container.

[Al Dente]

Unfortunately we did not eat our morels on Sunday, and by last night they had become a slimy, inedible mess.

And yes, we stored them in an open container.

I always suspected you had questionable morels.

[FunnyJohn]

If all else eludes I would do:

duxelles

[dook-SEHL, deu-SEHL]

A mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots and herbs slowly cooked in butter until it forms a thick paste. It's used to flavor sauces, soups and other mixtures, as well as for a garnish.

Freeze what you can't use immediately. This stuff which makes an excellent stuffing ingredient among other possibilities keeps quite a while frozen.

[hillvalley]

Unfortunately we did not eat our morels on Sunday, and by last night they had become a slimy, inedible mess.

And yes, we stored them in an open container.

I stored mine in a paper bag in the fridge and they were fine. A little dry but definitely still good. This was the first time I cooked with morels and they will probably become a once a year treat. This year I made a pasta dish but next year I think I am skipping the pasta and going straight for the grilled bread.

[bettyjoan]

Got into the morels last night--they had been sitting in a paper bag since Sunday, and aside from a slimy or dry shroom here and there, they held up pretty well. First I sauteed some shallots in olive oil, then I added a stick of butter and the chopped morels and continued to saute. The smell in the kitchen was amazing! Once the mushrooms were done, I added a cup of heavy cream, some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and some salt and pepper. I tossed it with some whole wheat rigatoni, and voila! Dinner! And a really yummy one at that! And hooray, I had enough for lunch leftovers!

Morels make me use lots of exclamation points. Too bad they're only a once-in-a-while treat.

[ScotteeM]

I got up extra-early this morning to get to the Burke Farmers Market when it opened, and it was worth all the pain! I paid a small fortune for a half-dozen morels (one is extra-large). The same vendor also had ramps and fresh asparagus. Now I'm almost sorry we're eating out tonight--I have to wait till tomorrow to enjoy this haul.

[zoramargolis]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8050301631.html

In case any of you missed this story in today's Sunday Post sports section about hunting for morels in Rock Creek Park.

Jonathan and I checked out Battery Kemble today and came up with nada--even at the spot where we found a few last year

[dcdavidm]

Came close to morel overkill on Saturday. Mrs. dcdavidm and I went to the annual morel dinner at Barboursville Vineyards' Palladio Restaurant outside Charlottesville. 100 pounds of morels for 100 people, served in several courses (Spinach-Goat Cheese Frittata Roulade with Warm Morel Salad and Roasted Sweet Pepper Purée; Gnocchi with Morel Ragù; Roasted Lamb Rack with Polenta, Fava Bean Purée, Morel-Pearl Onion Ragù & Morel Demi-Glace). Proprietor said about 1/3 locally picked; 2/3 from Oregon. An outstanding treat.

[johnb]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8050301631.html

In case any of you missed this story in today's Sunday Post sports section about hunting for morels in Rock Creek Park.

Jonathan and I checked out Battery Kemble today and came up with nada--even at the spot where we found a few last year

Interesting story. I used to occasionally hunt them in Rock Creek Park myself, when I lived right across the street, and found a few but never enough to call a "mess," my Dad's term for enough to serve the family. But I admit I never was good at spotting them.

However, on another point, I thought Rock Creek Park is officially a national park, thus making it illegal to pick or take anything from the park. If so, I'm a bit astonished that this guy has this big story in the Post, or that the Post printed it for that matter. Hmmm. Maybe the Post isn't aware of Federal law on the subject?

[zoramargolis]

However, on another point, I thought Rock Creek Park is officially a national park, thus making it illegal to pick or take anything from the park. If so, I'm a bit astonished that this guy has this big story in the Post, or that the Post printed it for that matter. Hmmm. Maybe the Post isn't aware of Federal law on the subject?

That thought occurred to me, too. The guy might find the Park Police at his door with a summons.

[Anna Blume]

I'll let someone else add the link if so desired, but in The Washington Post today, a contest was announced, requesting a fabulous recipe that features morels.

Deadline: Friday, May 16 (two days!)

Prize: Lots of morels!

DR Challenge?

[monavano]

I'll let someone else add the link if so desired, but in The Washington Post today, a contest was announced, requesting a fabulous recipe that features morels.

Deadline: Friday, May 16 (two days!)

Prize: Lots of morels!

DR Challenge?

Yes!

Enter here.

[squidsdc]

Yes!

Enter here.

and contest info here

[levjn]

So, "Loose Morels" folks... I have never cooked with morels, just had them out dining in dishes. This past Saturday, I bought a pint ($15... I am sure all are wondering ) from the mushroom gal at the Arlington Courthouse Farmer's Market. Excited to do an easy saute as a focal for tonight's dinner, I started inspecting them as I took them out of my paper sack... a few large ones I sliced and suddenly - I found little white worms.... LOTS of little white worms... ...so I sliced the rest and more and more worms! They were on my cutting board and knife, etc.

So - these shrooms are now soaking in my prep sink... the worms appear to have fallen to the bottom of the water, but I have to admit... I am a little "scarred" from the wormy sight. I am okay with a little critter here and there - especially when shopping from the farmer's markets (maybe a little slug on the chard) - and have even cut open a red bell pepper from Giant to find a moth - alive - but the sheer amount of the little worms inside the morels and in between the little cracks - I'm not so sure about. So - question - are all these little worms "normal"? I was expecting a bit of grit and maybe a couple critters, but not this. Should I just proceed after soaking - this is why they must be soaked? Or did I just end up getting dealt a bum hand with this particular pint of morels? I hate to trash them, since they are a bit pricey and an annual treat - and admittingly, I was looking forward to cooking them for the first time.

Please advise.... am I being overly concerned? Thanks in advance!

[zoramargolis]

So - question - are all these little worms "normal"? I was expecting a bit of grit and maybe a couple critters, but not this. Should I just proceed after soaking - this is why they must be soaked? Or did I just end up getting dealt a bum hand with this particular pint of morels? I hate to trash them, since they are a bit pricey and an annual treat - and admittingly, I was looking forward to cooking them for the first time.

Please advise.... am I being overly concerned? Thanks in advance!

You have discovered the reason that all instructions for prepping wild mushrooms, especially morels, tell you to soak and clean them carefully. It's pretty rare to find morels that don't have some little worms or beetles hiding in the crevasses of the cap. So--normal. As long as the caps aren't slimy or foul smelling, they should be fine. Soak in a couple changes of water, lifting them out rather than pouring the morels and their soaking water into a strainer.

[Al Dente]

I trust you won't tell me wife, who would completely freak out, but the morels I sauteed this past weekend had some ants residing within. They didn't make their presence known until the shrooms hit the hot Plugra. They were delicious.

[Anna Blume]

I trust you won't tell me wife, who would completely freak out, but the morels I sauteed this past weekend had some ants residing within. They didn't make their presence known until the shrooms hit the hot Plugra. They were delicious.

1) I recently finished a No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novel in which two of the protagonists reminisce about those days as children when ants flew through the air and they jumped up, arms raised, fingers spread, to snatch such bountiful treats and pop them into their mouths.

2) Not as bad as adding lobster to scrambled eggs and feeding them to someone kosher, but you are lacking in morels.

[levjn]

Wonderful- thanks guys for all the advice! As suspected, I was overreacting to possible normalcy - but definitely wanted to check with those experienced first! I'm a long time subscriber to the "don't wash/soak the mushrooms!" So, usually (even with the gourmet blends, hedgehogs, honey, etc. from the market) I just give them a quick inspection, run my knife through and into the pan they go! (should I soak some of these too?) (My husband always complains he gets the crappy job of "damp cloth" on the portobellos! ) The idea of heavy soaking and worms hadn't really occured to me! Hopefully after the soaking tonight (now drying out) they'll still be okay for tomorrow night's dinner... I threw in the towel earlier and ordered a pizza! ha ha! Oh - and Al Dente - your secret is safe here!

[mdt]

So, "Loose Morels" folks... I have never cooked with morels, just had them out dining in dishes. This past Saturday, I bought a pint ($15... I am sure all are wondering ) from the mushroom gal at the Arlington Courthouse Farmer's Market. Excited to do an easy saute as a focal for tonight's dinner, I started inspecting them as I took them out of my paper sack... a few large ones I sliced and suddenly - I found little white worms.... LOTS of little white worms... ...so I sliced the rest and more and more worms! They were on my cutting board and knife, etc.

So - these shrooms are now soaking in my prep sink... the worms appear to have fallen to the bottom of the water, but I have to admit... I am a little "scarred" from the wormy sight. I am okay with a little critter here and there - especially when shopping from the farmer's markets (maybe a little slug on the chard) - and have even cut open a red bell pepper from Giant to find a moth - alive - but the sheer amount of the little worms inside the morels and in between the little cracks - I'm not so sure about. So - question - are all these little worms "normal"? I was expecting a bit of grit and maybe a couple critters, but not this. Should I just proceed after soaking - this is why they must be soaked? Or did I just end up getting dealt a bum hand with this particular pint of morels? I hate to trash them, since they are a bit pricey and an annual treat - and admittingly, I was looking forward to cooking them for the first time.

Please advise.... am I being overly concerned? Thanks in advance!

This certainly lets you know that these are not the farmed (and relatively flavorless) variety!

[FunnyJohn]

Are the worms segmented? If so, would not recommend eating the morels, but if they appear to be all unitary (kind of like maggots) they are probably ant or some kind of beetle larvae, in which case you have grubs in your grub, and they won't hurt you.

[Anna Blume]

This certainly lets you know that these are not the farmed (and relatively flavorless) variety!

Speaking of which, the West Virginians at Spring Valley Farm usually bring black morels to market in late April or early May.

This year, they didn't because of the long cold spell, drought and prolonged heat wave. While I was told by the farmer that there may not be any morels this year, given last week's rain, the second crop of "white" morels (more of a warm, golden color) was on sale at Dupont Circle. Very limited supply, thus quite costly. Huge and in need of drying.

In the Dinner thread, I posted about magnificent morels I had for dinner recently that came from a chef in Richmond, VA. Now we're not sure if they were foraged locally, but I do know that places that missed our extremes in temperature have had better luck, especially in southern Pennsylvania.

Anyone here found morels close to home?

[vickie]

Speaking of which, the West Virginians at Spring Valley Farm usually bring black morels to market in late April or early May.

This year, they didn't because of the long cold spell, drought and prolonged heat wave. While I was told by the farmer that there may not be any morels this year, given last week's rain, the second crop of "white" morels (more of a warm, golden color) was on sale at Dupont Circle. Very limited supply, thus quite costly. Huge and in need of drying.

In the Dinner thread, I posted about magnificent morels I had for dinner recently that came from a chef in Richmond, VA. Now we're not sure if they were foraged locally, but I do know that places that missed our extremes in temperature have had better luck, especially in southern Pennsylvania.

Anyone here found morels close to home?

No luck in my local spot so far this year.

[levjn]

Are the worms segmented? If so, would not recommend eating the morels, but if they appear to be all unitary (kind of like maggots) they are probably ant or some kind of beetle larvae, in which case you have grubs in your grub, and they won't hurt you.

No - not segmented per se, these are tiny white (slight ridges) little guys crawling all around... so I sumise, they are more of the maggot variety! I just didn't expect so many of them! Thanks for helping me with the paranoia.