Hunting the elusive morel mushroom is half sport and half art form, according to Alex Straight, WVU Extension Agent in Richie and Doddridge Counties. She says there is great thrill and excitement to poking through the woods and searching through trees and underbrush in search of the tasty morel.
There are several edible varieties of mushroom growing in West Virginia but morels are probably the favorite. Many edible mushrooms seem to have a similar-looking variety that is poisonous.
One fact can't be stressed too much - it is imperative to be able to positively identify the mushroom as edible. Poisonous varieties are abundant and eating them can have serious consequences.
The true morel mushrooms are fairly easy to identify and safe to eat, but the false morels in the woods are dangerous to eat. Both the true morel and false morel have a cap or top that looks similar to a sponge. However, the true morel has a hollow stem and top. If the interior has chambers, or cottony mass, it is likely a false morel and should not be eaten.
Make absolutely sure you know exactly which mushroom you are looking for. Get an experienced hunter to go with you and take an identification guide book. When in doubt, don't eat the mushroom; leave it in the forest.
In fact, if you eat wild mushrooms, remember to eat only one type at a time and eat only a small amount the first time; even edible morels may cause illness in some persons. Do not eat wild mushrooms raw.
Moisture and temperature are two factors that dictate when and if the mushroom will "pop." They do seem to spring up overnight. They are more difficult to locate because an area that is dense with mushrooms one year might bear none the following year.
Morel mushrooms typically start popping in April when the temperatures climb into the 60s during the day and are no cooler than the 40s at night. The best time to them hunt is after a rain. Look near streams and riverbeds, in wooded areas, around fallen timber that has been decaying, and around brambles and thick brush. Other edible mushrooms, such as chanterelles, are found later in the summer.
Take a mesh bag, such as onions come in, along when you hunt mushrooms. This is suggested by Straight because morels spread through spores, which shake loose as they are jostled about. The mesh allows the spores to fall to the ground and potentially makes possible new mushrooms in the future.
Be selective in your "harvesting" of morels, taking only ones in good condition, without soft spots or bruising. At home, wipe them gently with a damp cloth or soft brush to remove dirt, debris and insects. Don't wash mushrooms if you plan to store them. They absorb water and washing them will hasten deterioration. Store them in a paper bag or wrapped in wax paper instead of plastic bags. They will only keep, refrigerated, for a few days. For longer storage, mushrooms may be frozen or dried.
When ready to use the mushrooms, gently rinse them in cool water and then drain them. Gently shaking will remove excess water. Examine them closely to insure any insects have been removed from the fine honeycombed caps and the interior. Some folks recommend slicing all morals of any size in half.
Cook morel mushrooms in a stainless steel or nonstick pan. Aluminum or iron pans may give the mushrooms an unpleasant metallic taste. One way my family prepares morels is to cut them in half or slice them, making sure they are clean and free of insects. Dip them in beaten egg, then dip in flour or cracker crumbs, and fry them in a small amount of margarine or butter. They are usually crisp and brown in three minutes.
To freeze mushrooms, prepare them by as they do not keep well and may develop a bitter taste.
Use a pot with a tight lid and a basket that holds the food 3 inches above the bottom of the pot. Put 12 inches of water into pot and add 1 teaspoon lemon juice per pint of water; bring to a boil. Add morels to basket in a single layer and place in pot. Cover. Steam 5 minutes. Remove morels and cool promptly. Package in freezer containers, leaving/headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
Bring water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice per pint of water. Add morels to the boiling water and bring water back to boil. Boil 3 minutes. Remove morels from water and drain. Cool promptly then package in freezer containers, leaving /headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
Follow the recipe below for sauted morels. Cool, then package in freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
Salmon Fillet with Morels
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons minced onion
1/2 pound morels, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
3/4 cup sodium-free chicken broth
20-ounce salmon fillet
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add minced onion and saut 2 minutes. Add morels; saute until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add salmon fillet, cook two minutes. Add chicken broth. Cover; cook about 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.
Remove salmon to platter and keep warm.
Boil broth a few minutes to reduce it. Add cream to mushroom mixture; simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Mix in chopped tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon sauce over salmon and serve. Serves 6.