Morel Mushroom

Morel mushrooms are among the most prized edible wild mushrooms in the world. Resembling a sponge on a stick, morels don’t look like ordinary mushrooms- or taste like ordinary mushrooms. Morels have a rich, creamy flavour that is deliciously earthy, nutty, steak-like- and it’s this awesome taste that makes the morel mushroom No.1 with mushroom lovers. its been said that “there is something almost cruelly tantalising about morels. No other mushroom in the world, save perhaps the white truffle of northern Italy, offers quite the degree of flavour and fragrance of a fresh morel.” The taste of morels is exquisite and indeed addictive. The unique flavour of the morel mushroom is prized by gourmet chefs around the world for special menu options, and the results can be quite creative.

One of the best and simplest ways to enjoy morels is by gently sautéing them in butter, cracking pepper on top and sprinkling with salt. Others soak the mushrooms in an egg batter and lightly bread them with saltine crackers or flour before frying them. Morels are not improved by extensive washing or soaking, as it may ruin the delicate flavour and require long cooking times. Due to their natural porosity, morels may contain trace amounts of soil which cannot be washed out. They can best be ‘flash frozen’ by simply running under cold water or putting them in a bucket to soak for a few minutes, then placing on a cookie sheet or pizza pan and placing into a freezer. After freezing they keep very fresh with the frozen glaze for a long time in Tupperware containers. Any visible soil should be removed with a brush, after cutting the body in half lengthwise if needed. Morels contain small amounts of hydrazine toxins that are removed by thorough cooking; morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw. It has been reported that even cooked morels can sometimes cause mild intoxication symptoms when consumed with alcohol!