The Chanterelles are Here!!!!
 

Like big, giant, orange hands reaching up through the earth, the Chanterelles are now coming on in our area. They're so thick and meaty and the taste is incredible. I went out in the woods with the dogs and came home with a big shopping bag full of these wonderful mushrooms. Not to be outdone, my DH went out a couple of days later and came home with even more of them. I've got to think fast as what to make with them. I've already done a Chanterelle lasagna...delicious...and an Asian Mushroom soup...yummy...and a delicate mushroom omlett...sublime. Now what? Please share your wild mushroom recipes.

Thanks!

~ C

Oh...did I forget to mention that I also have some white wine that was given to me as Christmas gifts? Wine and Chanterelles, what a match made in heaven. Now to just make it WW friendly....hummmm.

~ C

Tropit, you are so lucky to have access to them. They are expensive when I do see them here in Maine...usually in the fall. They are delightful.

tropit, can you slice and dry them for later use. I have dried the baby portabella ones with great success.

I wouldn’t dare eat wild mushrooms, as I don’t know which are safe and which are poisonous.

I have never had a chanterelle mushroom. This is our favorite way to eat morel mushrooms. https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe...m-sauce-326496 The recipe calls for dried mushrooms. I just saute the fresh ones a little bit and add the wine and cook it down a little bit. I have made it with lots of other mushrooms. We also mushroom hunt. This is good over chicken and fish also. I thin it out a little bit and put it over pasta or zoodles.

Sewbizgirl, I am from AR, and have always been cautioned not to eat wild mushrooms because some of the varieties that grow here are so similar in appearance, but some of them are deadly. I just buy canned or fresh mushrooms from the stores.

My brother is a mushroom fanatic. He is considering raising them as a small retirement project/business. But when I related your story to him he was full of ideas to use all of your mushrooms. He was appropriately envious and suggested drying them, pickling them, but mostly just enjoying the special and elegant treat that you have at your finger tips.

I would also dry them for later use.

The hubby has recently started learning about/eating mushrooms. The best ones he has found so far are Hen of the Woods.

I let him try it first :p If he doesn't get sick I consider it. One tip he was given as a novice gatherer is never to eat all of the mushrooms. That way if you get sick you can bring a sample with you.

We typically don't do a lot with our mushrooms, other than put them in things/saute in butter so I don't have any good recipes to share. You might look at vegetarian sites, lots of things to do with them.

I agree with you. You can get very sick off of some wild mushrooms and it's always a good idea to positively identify what you are picking. We have all kinds of mushrooms that grow in our area and there are a couple around here that are downright deadly. I've tried some of the Boletes, which are safe, but other than that, I steer clear of anything that I don't know and stick with the Chanterelles. I don't eat anything with true gills.

That being said, Chanterelles are very easy to identify and there aren't any dangerous look-alikes to Chanterelles that grow in our area. Plus, I go to the same patches every year, so I feel pretty safe eating the ones that I find. I haven't gotten sick yet. Chanterelles are also very special because they can't be commercially grown...you can only find them in the wild.

Yesterday, I made "Chantie steaks," by seasoning them like you would beef steaks, pressing them between 2 cast iron pans and cooking them over a high heat. Soooooo good!

~ C

Oh my goodness, I'm drooling a little with this thread! Yum!! Would they lend themselves to a soup, you think? That way you could use some of the wine as well (many recipes calling for some wine). Enjoy!

Tropit- I need to stop reading your posts. I get too hungry:D

Hmmm, I wonder if any grow in Oregon. I have only bought from store.

Our son brought us some Morrells last year. Nasty looking little mushrooms....lol We didn't care for them.

Really? I think that those are my favorite mushrooms. The flavor is so intense.

~ C

Some wild mushrooms can cause liver or kidney failure.

My husband's family can spot mushrooms for eating a mile away. I think there is an "art" to it.

My grandpa used to pick mushrooms.
We were not allowed to eat them, my mom just didn;t trust them