Apr 19 2009
Morel Mushroom
Here in southern Indiana it is mushroom-hunting season.
Some people really go nuts in their quest for the elusive morel mushrooms. If you want to find your own mushrooms in your own woods, you often have to be quick. Trespassing becomes a problem in some areas, and I’ve been known to sic the dogs on offenders in my woods. (Sorry, but these are MY mushrooms!)
Morel mushrooms are absolutely delicious. Some people call them American Truffles, and in fact if you are able to find them for sale, you will often pay more for them than you would for truffles. Nobody I know parts with any of their morels except to share them with family and friends. They are just too good. About ten years ago, I read that restaurants in Chicago were paying $80 per pound for morels. So far they cannot be grown commercially, although many have tried.
You can use morels in any cooked dish that you would use other mushrooms, but they are most often eaten breaded and fried around here. A healthier way to cook them is to saute them in a little olive oil or butter. I’ve used them on pizza, but it seems a waste to cloud the perfect taste of a morel with any other flavor.
Morels don’t always look the same, but they all have the signature “sponge” shaped top. The mature one pictured is darker and more pointed than many. Some are more gray and rounded, some have almost no stem, and some can weigh a few pounds and be as large as a small canteloupe.
This morel is about 6 inches tall, including the stem.
