Preparing and Cooking Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms
Easy to Find Chanterelles Are a Healthy and Gourmet Delight
Nov 26, 2008
Golden, or Yellow, chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius), Pacific golden (Cantharellus formosus) and White chanterelles (Cantharellus subalbidus) are the most common species in California, Oregon and Washington, as well as the most delicious. Proper preparation, storage and use will enhance any recipe.
Cleaning Wild Chanterelles
Chanterelles are low profile mushrooms, often forcing their way up through dense forest floor detritus, moss, fallen leaves and downed twigs or limbs of trees. Additionally, they thrive in wet environments and typically appear after steady fall rains. Consequently, they are often covered with dirt, fir needles and other wet and difficult to remove material.
There are two schools of thought regarding cleaning chanterelles: one that insists that dry cleaning is better, and the other claiming that wet washing is superior. In reality, some combination of both is probably best. If the chanterelle is found in a relatively clean condition, letting it dry and then brushing any needles or residual dirt away may be better than washing. Use a soft brush made for mushrooms.
On the other hand, chanterelles are often found in such a state that brushing simply cannot clean them sufficiently. In this case, one should brush the chanterelles under flowing water rather than immerse them, and then dry them as quickly as possible, using a fan if available.
Storing Chanterelles
Fresh chanterelles are without question the preferred ingredient for cooking, but considering their limited availability (late summer into late fall on the west coast), storing some for later use is worthwhile.
Chanterelles can be dried and later reconstituted successfully. They can be dried in a dehydrator or simply in an oven at temperatures under 150 degrees Fahrenheit. They contain a lot of water and will take some time to dry. After drying them, store them in glass jars or sealed plastic bags, where they will keep until next picking season or later. Reconstitute them by placing them in water for two or three hours prior to using them.
Sauteed chanterelles can be frozen as well. Cool the cooked mushrooms, place them in sealable plastic bags, such as Ziplock, eliminating as much air as possible and store in a freezer. Chanterelles will remain deliciously edible for several months, at least, frozen in this way.
Chanterelles also can be pickled by boiling them in water with salt, mustard seeds, thyme, peppercorns and other pickling spices of your choice. They can then be bottled in sterilized jars with the pickling liquid. Adding garlic to the jars before sealing also enhances the end product. Stored this way, the pickled chanterelles will last until the next picking season.
Cooking Chanterelles
Fresh (or reconstituted) chanterelles can be added successfully to many dishes. In particular, they enhance potato and egg dishes, pastas and pizzas. Wine and whipping cream especially complement these dishes as well.
The chanterelles should be sliced before cooking, slicing both the stem and cap lengthwise into roughly quarter inch (or less) pieces. Excellent chanterelle recipes are available in many cookbooks, particularly those specializing in west coast or French cuisine.
The simplest method of preparation, and that used for the frozen storage technique described above, is sauteeing them. The high water content should be driven off by cooking them in a pan over low heat, adding butter and olive oil, some salt and several chopped garlic cloves. Complete details for sauteeing chanterelles can be found in this article. After cooking, you can add a small amount of whipping cream for an even richer taste. The sauteed mushrooms are delicious on toasted baguette slices or crackers.
Collecting chanterelles in California, Oregon and Washington is a fun and rewarding fall excursion. Once collected, proper cleaning, storage and cooking completes this gourmet adventure.
