Seasonal suppers: morel mushrooms

Going on a mushroom hunt was not something I explored in my youth. As city dwellers, we were told to stay away from anything that you didn’t buy in the supermarket. Thankfully, recent years have changed this attitude, and I now enjoy a couple of mushroom forages a year.

Mary White organises them in Carlow (blackstairsecotrails.ie). All of her mushroom hunts take place in autumn, when wild mushroom season is in full swing.

Yet, there is one spring wild mushroom that is prized by mushroom lovers: the morel. This little brown honeycombed mushroom has a distinct cap of sophisticated ribs, almost like the vault of a late Gothic cathedral.

Morels are part of what mushrooms hunters call the “fool-proof four”. The others are hen of the woods, chanterelles, and puffballs. Though these do have a few false look-a-likes, they are fairly distinct.

However, I would never recommend going out and eating wild mushrooms on the spot. Either pick them with an expert, or in a guided group, or consult some literature before consuming. The false morel will not do you too much damage, probably only an upset stomach.

True morels need to be cooked, as uncooked they too can cause digestive problems. It’s also important to clean them, as they grow in sandy areas. I like to use an old toothbrush when cleaning wild mushrooms.

So, what do they pair well with? Try pairing them with other things in season, such as lamb or asparagus. How about a fried duck egg with some blanched asparagus and pan-fried morels in duck fat? Nice with a glass of Pinot Noir.

Morels would also make a nice barley risotto. Fry some onions and morels. Add a little white wine. Add a few handfuls of barley, then ladle chicken stock intermittently over the bubbling barley until soft. Whip in a few cubes of cold butter and finally grate some Hegarty’s cheddar over the top.