Crispy Fresh Morels and Peas

It's that wonderful time of year again;  Morel mushroom season in North America.  Having grown up in a beautiful mountainous place where we foraged our own after rainy May days, morels are an "official start of Spring" for me.  I adore their hearty, meaty, rich flavor and their magnificent toothsome texture. 

I haven't hunted morels myself in years but after finding these perfect specimens at a local Farmer's Market I'm itching to get my rainboots and basket out and check out my Northern California forests.  It's easy to find them with a good guide after the first couple of days of sun following a little bit of rain.  They like to grow in forested or wooded areas and are as prized in some parts of North America as truffles are in Europe.  If anyone in the Bay Area knows where I can hunt them please let me know.  In the meantime, I'm hitting that market every week through May to stock up on more.

Morels are wonderfully adaptable to most cooking methods and tastes.  There always seems to be a joke floating around that morels "taste like chicken" but I couldn't disagree more.  They are a unique and distinct flavor that cannot be described, purely experienced.  All my years in New York, I depended on dried morels except on a few wonderful occasions when I found fresh ones.  However, these are so much larger, heartier, tastier and prettier than anything I found in New York ever.  I was so excited at the market I started shrieking and giggling, it's a good thing I was amidst other avid cooks and eaters who understood my joy!

My recipe is an adaptation of the classic way my Mom prepared them: fried with corn meal.  I took her basic recipe and added a few key ingredients and made a superb marinade to help tenderize them before frying.  Wow.  They rocked! Here are my "Crispy Spring Morels and Peas".

Here's my recipe.  It's just a small amount, for two people since the price of these mushrooms is astronomical.  They are a splurge but my memories and love of them are so profound that I couldn't resist them.  But, just tasty little side dishes, I only bought a little.

Ingredients
Serves 2 as small appetizer or side

8 oz. fresh Morels, bottoms trimmed off, halved and cavity wiped clean with moist towel
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. yellow corn meal
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. vegetable or peanut oil
1 medium Spring onion, minced
1/3 c. shelled fresh green peas

Method:

1. Prepare and clean mushrooms and soak in a salt-water bath for 10 minutes.  It's important to cut off the tough end of the stem and also to slice them open in half lengthwise.  You must do this to look for worms (always possible) and to clean out the inside gently with a damp towel.

2. Combine the Worcestershire sauce and buttermilk in a bowl by whisking together.  Add the cleaned morels to this sauce to act as a marinade and help tenderize the mushrooms.  Refrigerate 1-3 hours.

3. When mushrooms have marinated, put the cornmeal on a large, wide plate.  Add the salt and pepper to the cornmeal and mix with your fingers to spread through.  One at a time, dredge the mushrooms in the seasoned cornmeal.  Shake off any excess cornmeal and place on another plate in a single layer.

4.  In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil on high and when shimmering and very hot, gently add the mushrooms.  Fry until they are very tender but crispy and brown on the outside from the cornmeal, about 6-8 minutes.  Toss in the spring onion and peas and fry another 2-3 minutes until the peas are just tender.  Remove from heat, and drain on a plate lined with paper towel if there's extra oil.  Add another pinch of kosher salt and enjoy immediately!

Comments

[The Mighty Morel Mushroom]

Hey, thanks for checking out my site. That recipe sounds great. I have never thought about it but the buttermilk and the worcestershire sauce sounds very tasty. Thanks for recommending this recipe.

[Stephanie Beack]

The worcestershire sauce and buttermilk are truly the key in this dish! They make the mushrooms tasty and succulent before frying so that the final result is juicy and crispy. Try it out and let me know how you liked it!

[Yvo]

That sounds so lovely. Mmm... earthy mushrooms!

PS You said you grew up in a mountainous area... you know, I confess, this entire time, I kind of thought you might be one of my HS classmates whose last name I can't recall (I know it's not Beack, but I thought that might be your married name). Hahahah. My bad!

[Arthur, like the King]

What a terrifying looking mushroom. Morel's, luckily, are of the non-speaking funghi family; for if they uttered a sound, they would simply suffice to say: I shall eat you in your sleep.

[Stephanie Beack]

King Arthur, you mustn't worry. They are not as terrifying as they look. Indeed, they are delicious, not malicious!