These mushrooms grow mainly in temperate forests and appear immediately after the snow melts. They got their name due to their appearance (a porous shriveled hat covered with deep wrinkles looks rather unsightly). Over time, the concentration of toxic substances in morels increases, so only young, fresh (or dried) mushrooms are used for food. Depending on the shape of the hats, several types of morels are distinguished. However, from the gastronomic point of view, they are all the same. In some countries, these fungi are cultivated; in others, on the contrary, they are considered inedible.
Before preparing morels for the first time, you need to carefully study several recipes so that the dish does not turn out poisonous. Despite the fact that these low-calorie and very tasteful mushrooms are quite often eaten, cases of poisoning by them are also not uncommon.
How to cook morel mushrooms
There are many recipes in which this ingredient is present. Moreover, mushrooms are used both as a main component and as an addition (to spice up a meat dish, for example). Before you prepare morels, you need to boil them in salt water for 15-20 minutes, in this case most of the toxic substances will come out of them. Sometimes they are used in dried form. In this case, the mushrooms are soaked for several hours in salt water.
Morels in white wine
This simple but very sophisticated dish can be reserved for a special evening. And in order not to spoil it, before cooking morels, you need to sort them out well, rinse and boil them. For a pound of mushrooms take 100 ml of white wine (it must be certainly good), 2 egg yolks, 30 grams of butter, salt and ground pepper to taste.
Sliced mushrooms are sent to a dry heated frying pan and fry them, stirring, until the liquid evaporates completely. After the pan becomes dry again, its contents are salted and pepper, half of the oil is added and the wine is poured. Mushrooms stew for about 10 minutes, after which they send the remaining oil to them, driven in yolks, mix and remove from heat. The dish can be served with a potato garnish or used as a meat sauce, omelette dressing or pancake filling.
How to cook morels in sour cream
This is a fairly simple recipe, but the dish is tender and very tasty. For a pound of fresh mushrooms, take a glass of sour cream, a little flour and salt, hard cheese to taste, vegetable oil and greens (dill or parsley). Pre-washed and peeled morels are boiled in salt water for 15 minutes. Then they are thoroughly washed under the tap and left to drain. Then they are cut into several parts, salted and fried in oil, sprinkled with flour at the end. Sour cream is added to the pan, stewed for several minutes, sprinkled with cheese and herbs and removed from the heat. Mushrooms are served with any side dish, for example, mashed potatoes or pasta.
Morel pilaf
Among other dishes that are prepared from morels, there is even a recipe for pilaf. For a pound of mushrooms take a glass of rice, 60 grams of lamb, salt, spices for pilaf, 2 carrots, 1/3 pack of butter. Before preparing morels according to this recipe, they should be sorted, cut legs, large can be divided into 2-3 parts. Then they are boiled in salt water for 5 minutes and thrown into a colander.
Chopped lard is fried in butter (then it is taken out), mushrooms are fried on the resulting fat, then carrots cut into strips are sent there, salt, season spices, spread washed rice and pour hot water (it should be 2 cm higher than rice). Pilaf extinguish, without stirring, over low heat until cooked.