We are ranked among renowned Suppliers of a comprehensive assortment of Dried Morels. Gown using 100% pure and natural fertilizers; our entire range of Dried Morels is free from additive, synthetic ingredients and chemicals. We offer Dried Morels in food-grade packaging and provide customized packaging solutions

Specials

• Head size 1 - 5 cm , no tails
• Head size 1 - 4 cm , no tails
• Head size 2 - 4 cm , no tails
• Head size 2 - 5 cm , no tails

Extras

• Head size 1 - 4 cm with tails 1.0 cm
• Head size 1 - 4 cm with tails1.5 cm
• Head size 2 - 4 cm with tails 1.0 cm
• Head size 2 - 4 cm with tails 1.5 cm
• Head size 2 - 5 cm with tails 1.0 cm
• Head size 2 - 5 cm with tails 1.5 cm

Standards

• Head size 2 - 4cm with tails max. 2 cm
• Head size 2 - 5cm
• Verpa Specials
• Head size 2 -4 cm , no tails
• Head size 2 -5 cm , no tails

Minis

• Head size 0.5 - 2cm , no tails
• Tails   
• Size 0.5 & up, sand bag cut
• Brokens   
• Cut out of special heads, no tails
• Cut out of Industrial morels, no tails

 
Other Names : The Common Morel, Sponge Mushroom,Morchella Esculenta is one of the most easily recognized of all the edible fungi. It is also known as Morchella Esculenta , Gucchi ( Indian Name) etc.  For this reason, it is considered one of the safest Mushroom for the amateur to collect.

Basics : In India Sponge Mushrooms can be found in early spring in moist wooded areas, or less commonly in grassy areas. After the winter season , immediately after the melting of snow, Sponge Mushroom starts growing in the hilly areas. Then the local people along with their families rush to those places to search and collect the Sponge Mushroom. After collecting it is dried & stored in their houses and ultimately sold to traders / exporters.

Morels : Morchella angusticeps, M. conica, M. deliciosa, M. esculenta

• Besides April showers and May flowers, springtime brings the mushroom hunter some of his or her happiest hours. The small, seductive, yet humble morel becomes the lord of the orchards and forests. So esteemed is this fungus with the hollow pitted hat that its admirers will travel hundreds of miles in its pursuit. Part of the morel's mystique is its ability to blend into the background. That dark, perhaps black, triangle of shadow in the distance. Is it a morel or a pine cone? A piece of bark? A stone? Burned wood? Mushroom collectors will race to it to see if a tasty reward awaits the keenest of eye and swiftest of foot. There are many theories as to the best places to look for these mushrooms, but in the end, everyone admits that morels only grow where the hunter finds them.
• A morel of the same species may appear in various colors: Morchella angusticeps within the same forest area may be reddish, gray, black, ashen, or brown. It may be isolated or clumped, and has been found in such unlikely places as damp cellars in San Francisco at Christmastime. Unfortunately, it's a Christmas present you can't count on!
• Morels emerge as the snow recedes. They fruit most abundantly on disturbed, burned, or recently cleared ground. They may be found under elms that have just died, or in one- to two-year-old wood chip mulch. They also enjoy popping up in fruit orchards. A plentiful crop does not mean that they can be found in the same area in subsequent years, for morels get bored easily and enjoy traveling. Caps usually begin to appear in April in the Continental United States, although we have harvested them in the first week in July in the Sierra Nevada. Because of its appearance, the morel is sometimes called "the sponge mushroom."
• The classification of the Morchella genus intrigues the experts. While they all recognize morels, there is still much uncertainty as to whether there are a few or many species. There is much variation in size and color. To us, differentiation between the species is academic. All kinds are cleaned and cooked in the same manner.
• Avoid morels whose caps are soft or mushy, or become granular when rubbed: they are too old and wormy. Morels occasionally contain insect larvae that drop out during the drying process. The mushroom- lovers we know have disregarded this aspect of morel enjoyment. After all, they are very small worms.
• Fresh morels are occasionally sold in markets. The price is very high. Select them individually, because each one will be costly. So far, no one has been able to cultivate morels commercially. A company in Felton, California, once harvested them in adequate numbers, but went out of business because they couldn't remove sand from the caps. More recently, a graduate of San Francisco State University developed a technique for growing morels that is now being patented. We hope that his process will soon be converted into a commercially profitable product.

Cleaning : Because of the irregular nature of its surface a morel cannot be rubbed or brushed. You may find this worrisome, wondering about what kind of things lurk in the dark pits ready to jump into your béchamel sauce. Never fear, most morels are very well groomed, and the pits are very shallow. Try not to use water. Even brief soaking removes their flavor, as with other foods such as strawberries. If you must, run water over them rapidly and cook them at once. Cut lengthwise or cross-section them to clean out the centers.
Cooking

• Large specimens may be stuffed through the hollow base, or halved and packed with fillings. Do not discard the stems. Fry or cook morels whole, especially smaller, younger ones.
• It is difficult to describe the famous morel flavor. It is nutty, meaty, and unique whether cooked or dried. There is no substitute for butter to bring out its subtle but treasured character. It adjusts extremely well to a light cream sauce with Madeira , which can be poured over chicken breasts or thin slices of veal.
• Never eat raw morels or raw morel-like mushrooms such as Helvella lacunosa.

Cooking with Dried Morels

• The intensity and character of the morel flavor is not lost in drying. We have used them after three years of storage and found them to be just as aromatic, if not more so, as when fresh.
• Reconstitute them in hot water for 5 minutes or simmer them in cream until soft, about 15 minutes, not allowing the cream to boil. Always add the rehydrating liquid to the dish for which your morels are intended. A great deal of the flavor remains in the liquid.
• When incorporating dried morels in a recipe calling for fresh specimens, use 3 ounces as the equivalent of 1 pound of mushrooms. Once reconstituted, they should be equal in volume.

Preserving

• Morels are easily and quickly dried. You may cut them into smaller pieces or leave them whole. Classically, they are strung like beads on thread using a needle, with a button at the bottom. Hang in a warm, dry place. Dehydrators work well too.
• Before placing them in a sealed can or bottle, let them dry for a few days in a paper bag hung in a warm place to allow all moisture to escape. Otherwise, mold contaminants will jeopardize your treasures.
• Another good way to preserve morels is to sauté them in butter and freeze.

Morel Cracker Crumb Fry

• Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

• Collecting morels in May is a Midwestern American tradition for many admirers of this mushroom. Be sure to keep the mushrooms dry and crisp. Cook small amounts at a time so they can be served hot.
  
  • 20 to 30 small morels
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1/2 cup cracker crumbs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil   

• Roll the morels in the egg mixture. Put the cracker crumbs, salt, and pepper in a paper bag. Quickly shake the morels a few at a time in the bag. Melt the butter with the oil in a sauté pan or skillet. Sauté the morels until brown and crisp.

Louise Freedman : Alternate Mushrooms -

• Oyster Mushroom, Puffballs
• Morels and Buttermilk
• Serves 10 as an appetizer

• Harry Knighton, founder and executive secretary of the North American Mycological Association, recommends preparing morels this way.
  
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 cup flour
  • 20 to 25 large morels, cut halved lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

Combine the salt, pepper, paprika, sugar, mustard, turmeric, garlic powder, and onion powder with the flour. Dip the morels in the buttermilk and roll in the flour mixture. Melt the butter with the oil in a sauté pan or skillet and sauté the morels until crisp and brown on all sides.
Harry Knighton : Alternate Mushrooms -

• Puffballs
• Morels Stuffed with Sausage
• Serves 10 as an appetizer

• Stuffed morels are great finger food for parties. They harmonize with sherry or a red such as zinfandel or cabernet sauvignon.
  
  • 1 pound finely ground sausage
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup cracker crumbs
  • 20 to 25 large morels, halved lengthwise

In a sauté pan or skillet, fry the sausage quickly and break it into small pieces. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove as much fat as possible with a spoon. Add the salt and pepper, nutmeg, parsley, and cracker crumbs. Fill the morels with the mixture, mounding the filling. Place the mushrooms in a buttered shallow baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 450º oven.
Kitchen Magic with Mushrooms : Alternate Mushrooms -

• Common Store Mushroom, Shiitake
• Morels Stuffed with Walnuts
• Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

• Morels are great for stuffing--especially with bacon and walnuts.
  
  • 2 shallots or green onions, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 bacon slice, cooked crisp and finely crumbled
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Salt
  • 10 to 15 large morels, sliced lengthwise

In a sauté pan or skillet, sauté the shallots in the butter until translucent. Stir in the bread crumbs, bacon, and walnuts. Remove from the heat and mix in the cream. Add salt to taste. Stuff the morels, using your fingers. Place the mushrooms in a shallow buttered baking dish and bake in a preheated 450º oven for 20 minutes or until they turn brown.
Louise Freedman :  Alternate Mushrooms -

• Common Store Mushroom, Horse Mushroom, Meadow Mushroom
• Stuffed Morels, Japanese Style
• Serves 10 as an appetizer

• The stuffing in this recipe is equally tasty with other mushrooms. Try filling common store or shiitake mushrooms with this mixture.
  
  • 20 large morels, halved lengthwise
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 9 canned water chestnuts, minced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot

In a mixing bowl, combine the pork, onion, water chestnuts, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and dry sherry. Stir in the arrowroot. Mound as much filling as will fit into the hollow morels. Arrange the mushrooms in a large baking pan. Bake in a preheated 450º oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Louise Freedman

• Morels Stuffed with Panade Paste
• Serves 12 to 15 as an appetizer
• In this dish, whole morels are filled with a rich bacon-flavored stuffing.

Panade Paste

• 4 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
• White pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup half and half or more

• 30 to 35 morels, large enough to be filled through the stem
• 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup Madeira

Detail :

• To make the panade paste, fry the bacon until very crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Allow the bacon to cool. Blend it in a blender or food processor with the parsley until it is almost a paste.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Add the bread crumbs, bacon-parsley mixture, and the white pepper. Stir for 1 minute or until the bread crumbs are slightly browned. Turn off the heat and blend the cream slowly into the bread crumb mixture until it becomes a pliable paste.
• Prepare the morels by trimming the stems to accommodate the filling. Fill each morel, using a pastry bag. Melt 3 to 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan or skillet. Sauté the morels until they are brown on all sides. When nearly done, pour the Madeira over the morels. Quickly turn each morel to coat it with the sauce.

Louise Freedman

• Morel Bisque
• Serves 4 as a first course

• The characteristic flavor of morels is highlighted in this bisque. Add buttery croutons to each soup bowl just before serving, if you like.
  
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 pound morels, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 cups broth
  • 2 cups half and half
  • White pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or chives

In a sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onions and the morels for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the broth until well blended. Add the half and half and white pepper. Simmer, but do not allow the soup to boil. Just before serving, add the sherry and salt, and sprinkle the parsley on top.
Louise Freedman : Alternate Mushrooms :

• Chanterelle, Fairy-ring Mushroom, Shaggy mane
• Steamed Morels
• Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

• Steaming makes morels plump and succulent.
  
  • 20 to 25 small firm morels
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
  • Salt and pepper

• Steam the morels for 10 minutes. While they are cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic, tarragon, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the morels in a serving dish and pour the butter sauce over them. Save the liquid from the steamed morels for use with other dishes.

Bill Freedman

• Morels in Madeira Sauce
• Serves 4 to 5 as a side dish

• Philip Turniey owner-chef of a restaurant in Mariposa, California, prepared our collected morels in this classic way. He served sourdough bread to dip into the sauce that remained.
  
  • 1 pound morels, split lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup Madeira
  • Salt to taste
  • Chopped fresh chives (optional)

In a sauté pan or skillet, sauté the mushrooms in the butter for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the morels to a warm serving dish with a slotted spoon. Add the Madeira to the pan. Taste the sauce and add salt. Boil rapidly until the liquid is reduced to the consistency of syrup. Pour the sauce over the morels. Sprinkle the chives on top.
Philip Turniey, Gardenia Cantina Restaurant

• Chicken Breasts and Morels
• Serves 4 as a main course

• Chicken and morels are beautifully matched, especially when served over pasta and accompanied with a dry white .
  
  • 2 dozen fresh morels, sliced, or 2 ounces dried morels and 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 4 single chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and pounded flat
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons
  • 1/4 cup broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (use the reserved cream if you have used dried morels)
  • 1/2 teaspoon green peppercorns, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper

We are ranked among renowned Suppliers of a comprehensive assortment of Dried Morels. Gown using 100% pure and natural fertilizers; our entire range of Dried Morels is free from additive, synthetic ingredients and chemicals. We offer Dried Morels in food-grade packaging and provide customized packaging solutions

Specials

• Head size 1 - 5 cm , no tails
• Head size 1 - 4 cm , no tails
• Head size 2 - 4 cm , no tails
• Head size 2 - 5 cm , no tails

Extras

• Head size 1 - 4 cm with tails 1.0 cm
• Head size 1 - 4 cm with tails1.5 cm
• Head size 2 - 4 cm with tails 1.0 cm
• Head size 2 - 4 cm with tails 1.5 cm
• Head size 2 - 5 cm with tails 1.0 cm
• Head size 2 - 5 cm with tails 1.5 cm

Standards

• Head size 2 - 4cm with tails max. 2 cm
• Head size 2 - 5cm
• Verpa Specials
• Head size 2 -4 cm , no tails
• Head size 2 -5 cm , no tails

Minis

• Head size 0.5 - 2cm , no tails
• Tails   
• Size 0.5 & up, sand bag cut
• Brokens   
• Cut out of special heads, no tails
• Cut out of Industrial morels, no tails

 
Other Names : The Common Morel, Sponge Mushroom,Morchella Esculenta is one of the most easily recognized of all the edible fungi. It is also known as Morchella Esculenta , Gucchi ( Indian Name) etc.  For this reason, it is considered one of the safest Mushroom for the amateur to collect.

Basics : In India Sponge Mushrooms can be found in early spring in moist wooded areas, or less commonly in grassy areas. After the winter season , immediately after the melting of snow, Sponge Mushroom starts growing in the hilly areas. Then the local people along with their families rush to those places to search and collect the Sponge Mushroom. After collecting it is dried & stored in their houses and ultimately sold to traders / exporters.

Morels : Morchella angusticeps, M. conica, M. deliciosa, M. esculenta

• Besides April showers and May flowers, springtime brings the mushroom hunter some of his or her happiest hours. The small, seductive, yet humble morel becomes the lord of the orchards and forests. So esteemed is this fungus with the hollow pitted hat that its admirers will travel hundreds of miles in its pursuit. Part of the morel's mystique is its ability to blend into the background. That dark, perhaps black, triangle of shadow in the distance. Is it a morel or a pine cone? A piece of bark? A stone? Burned wood? Mushroom collectors will race to it to see if a tasty reward awaits the keenest of eye and swiftest of foot. There are many theories as to the best places to look for these mushrooms, but in the end, everyone admits that morels only grow where the hunter finds them.
• A morel of the same species may appear in various colors: Morchella angusticeps within the same forest area may be reddish, gray, black, ashen, or brown. It may be isolated or clumped, and has been found in such unlikely places as damp cellars in San Francisco at Christmastime. Unfortunately, it's a Christmas present you can't count on!
• Morels emerge as the snow recedes. They fruit most abundantly on disturbed, burned, or recently cleared ground. They may be found under elms that have just died, or in one- to two-year-old wood chip mulch. They also enjoy popping up in fruit orchards. A plentiful crop does not mean that they can be found in the same area in subsequent years, for morels get bored easily and enjoy traveling. Caps usually begin to appear in April in the Continental United States, although we have harvested them in the first week in July in the Sierra Nevada. Because of its appearance, the morel is sometimes called "the sponge mushroom."
• The classification of the Morchella genus intrigues the experts. While they all recognize morels, there is still much uncertainty as to whether there are a few or many species. There is much variation in size and color. To us, differentiation between the species is academic. All kinds are cleaned and cooked in the same manner.
• Avoid morels whose caps are soft or mushy, or become granular when rubbed: they are too old and wormy. Morels occasionally contain insect larvae that drop out during the drying process. The mushroom- lovers we know have disregarded this aspect of morel enjoyment. After all, they are very small worms.
• Fresh morels are occasionally sold in markets. The price is very high. Select them individually, because each one will be costly. So far, no one has been able to cultivate morels commercially. A company in Felton, California, once harvested them in adequate numbers, but went out of business because they couldn't remove sand from the caps. More recently, a graduate of San Francisco State University developed a technique for growing morels that is now being patented. We hope that his process will soon be converted into a commercially profitable product.

Cleaning : Because of the irregular nature of its surface a morel cannot be rubbed or brushed. You may find this worrisome, wondering about what kind of things lurk in the dark pits ready to jump into your béchamel sauce. Never fear, most morels are very well groomed, and the pits are very shallow. Try not to use water. Even brief soaking removes their flavor, as with other foods such as strawberries. If you must, run water over them rapidly and cook them at once. Cut lengthwise or cross-section them to clean out the centers.
Cooking

• Large specimens may be stuffed through the hollow base, or halved and packed with fillings. Do not discard the stems. Fry or cook morels whole, especially smaller, younger ones.
• It is difficult to describe the famous morel flavor. It is nutty, meaty, and unique whether cooked or dried. There is no substitute for butter to bring out its subtle but treasured character. It adjusts extremely well to a light cream sauce with Madeira , which can be poured over chicken breasts or thin slices of veal.
• Never eat raw morels or raw morel-like mushrooms such as Helvella lacunosa.

Cooking with Dried Morels

• The intensity and character of the morel flavor is not lost in drying. We have used them after three years of storage and found them to be just as aromatic, if not more so, as when fresh.
• Reconstitute them in hot water for 5 minutes or simmer them in cream until soft, about 15 minutes, not allowing the cream to boil. Always add the rehydrating liquid to the dish for which your morels are intended. A great deal of the flavor remains in the liquid.
• When incorporating dried morels in a recipe calling for fresh specimens, use 3 ounces as the equivalent of 1 pound of mushrooms. Once reconstituted, they should be equal in volume.

Preserving

• Morels are easily and quickly dried. You may cut them into smaller pieces or leave them whole. Classically, they are strung like beads on thread using a needle, with a button at the bottom. Hang in a warm, dry place. Dehydrators work well too.
• Before placing them in a sealed can or bottle, let them dry for a few days in a paper bag hung in a warm place to allow all moisture to escape. Otherwise, mold contaminants will jeopardize your treasures.
• Another good way to preserve morels is to sauté them in butter and freeze.

Morel Cracker Crumb Fry

• Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

• Collecting morels in May is a Midwestern American tradition for many admirers of this mushroom. Be sure to keep the mushrooms dry and crisp. Cook small amounts at a time so they can be served hot.
  
  • 20 to 30 small morels
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1/2 cup cracker crumbs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil   

• Roll the morels in the egg mixture. Put the cracker crumbs, salt, and pepper in a paper bag. Quickly shake the morels a few at a time in the bag. Melt the butter with the oil in a sauté pan or skillet. Sauté the morels until brown and crisp.

Louise Freedman : Alternate Mushrooms -

• Oyster Mushroom, Puffballs
• Morels and Buttermilk
• Serves 10 as an appetizer

• Harry Knighton, founder and executive secretary of the North American Mycological Association, recommends preparing morels this way.
  
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 cup flour
  • 20 to 25 large morels, cut halved lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

Combine the salt, pepper, paprika, sugar, mustard, turmeric, garlic powder, and onion powder with the flour. Dip the morels in the buttermilk and roll in the flour mixture. Melt the butter with the oil in a sauté pan or skillet and sauté the morels until crisp and brown on all sides.
Harry Knighton : Alternate Mushrooms -

• Puffballs
• Morels Stuffed with Sausage
• Serves 10 as an appetizer

• Stuffed morels are great finger food for parties. They harmonize with sherry or a red such as zinfandel or cabernet sauvignon.
  
  • 1 pound finely ground sausage
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup cracker crumbs
  • 20 to 25 large morels, halved lengthwise

In a sauté pan or skillet, fry the sausage quickly and break it into small pieces. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove as much fat as possible with a spoon. Add the salt and pepper, nutmeg, parsley, and cracker crumbs. Fill the morels with the mixture, mounding the filling. Place the mushrooms in a buttered shallow baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 450º oven.
Kitchen Magic with Mushrooms : Alternate Mushrooms -

• Common Store Mushroom, Shiitake
• Morels Stuffed with Walnuts
• Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

• Morels are great for stuffing--especially with bacon and walnuts.
  
  • 2 shallots or green onions, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 bacon slice, cooked crisp and finely crumbled
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Salt
  • 10 to 15 large morels, sliced lengthwise

In a sauté pan or skillet, sauté the shallots in the butter until translucent. Stir in the bread crumbs, bacon, and walnuts. Remove from the heat and mix in the cream. Add salt to taste. Stuff the morels, using your fingers. Place the mushrooms in a shallow buttered baking dish and bake in a preheated 450º oven for 20 minutes or until they turn brown.
Louise Freedman :  Alternate Mushrooms -

• Common Store Mushroom, Horse Mushroom, Meadow Mushroom
• Stuffed Morels, Japanese Style
• Serves 10 as an appetizer

• The stuffing in this recipe is equally tasty with other mushrooms. Try filling common store or shiitake mushrooms with this mixture.
  
  • 20 large morels, halved lengthwise
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 9 canned water chestnuts, minced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot

In a mixing bowl, combine the pork, onion, water chestnuts, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and dry sherry. Stir in the arrowroot. Mound as much filling as will fit into the hollow morels. Arrange the mushrooms in a large baking pan. Bake in a preheated 450º oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Louise Freedman

• Morels Stuffed with Panade Paste
• Serves 12 to 15 as an appetizer
• In this dish, whole morels are filled with a rich bacon-flavored stuffing.

Panade Paste

• 4 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
• White pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup half and half or more

• 30 to 35 morels, large enough to be filled through the stem
• 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup Madeira

Detail :

• To make the panade paste, fry the bacon until very crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Allow the bacon to cool. Blend it in a blender or food processor with the parsley until it is almost a paste.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Add the bread crumbs, bacon-parsley mixture, and the white pepper. Stir for 1 minute or until the bread crumbs are slightly browned. Turn off the heat and blend the cream slowly into the bread crumb mixture until it becomes a pliable paste.
• Prepare the morels by trimming the stems to accommodate the filling. Fill each morel, using a pastry bag. Melt 3 to 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan or skillet. Sauté the morels until they are brown on all sides. When nearly done, pour the Madeira over the morels. Quickly turn each morel to coat it with the sauce.

Louise Freedman

• Morel Bisque
• Serves 4 as a first course

• The characteristic flavor of morels is highlighted in this bisque. Add buttery croutons to each soup bowl just before serving, if you like.
  
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 pound morels, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 cups broth
  • 2 cups half and half
  • White pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or chives

In a sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onions and the morels for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the broth until well blended. Add the half and half and white pepper. Simmer, but do not allow the soup to boil. Just before serving, add the sherry and salt, and sprinkle the parsley on top.
Louise Freedman : Alternate Mushrooms :

• Chanterelle, Fairy-ring Mushroom, Shaggy mane
• Steamed Morels
• Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

• Steaming makes morels plump and succulent.
  
  • 20 to 25 small firm morels
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
  • Salt and pepper

• Steam the morels for 10 minutes. While they are cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic, tarragon, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the morels in a serving dish and pour the butter sauce over them. Save the liquid from the steamed morels for use with other dishes.

Bill Freedman

• Morels in Madeira Sauce
• Serves 4 to 5 as a side dish

• Philip Turniey owner-chef of a restaurant in Mariposa, California, prepared our collected morels in this classic way. He served sourdough bread to dip into the sauce that remained.
  
  • 1 pound morels, split lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup Madeira
  • Salt to taste
  • Chopped fresh chives (optional)

In a sauté pan or skillet, sauté the mushrooms in the butter for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the morels to a warm serving dish with a slotted spoon. Add the Madeira to the pan. Taste the sauce and add salt. Boil rapidly until the liquid is reduced to the consistency of syrup. Pour the sauce over the morels. Sprinkle the chives on top.
Philip Turniey, Gardenia Cantina Restaurant

• Chicken Breasts and Morels
• Serves 4 as a main course

• Chicken and morels are beautifully matched, especially when served over pasta and accompanied with a dry white .
  
  • 2 dozen fresh morels, sliced, or 2 ounces dried morels and 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 4 single chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and pounded flat
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons
  • 1/4 cup broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (use the reserved cream if you have used dried morels)
  • 1/2 teaspoon green peppercorns, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper