How to cook morels: recipes from dried mushrooms

Morels are the first spring mushrooms. They are classified as conditionally edible. They are characterized by an irregularly shaped cap that resembles a brain. The color of the mushrooms varies from light cinnamon to dark chocolate. The main rule for preparing morels is to heat them for a long time.

How to cook morels

The benefits of morels

People have been eating morels for a long time. They are classified as such delicacies as red and black caviar and truffles.

Morels, like other forest mushrooms, increase immunity and help in the fight against rheumatism and joint diseases. In ancient times, they were used to effectively treat myopia, farsightedness and cataracts. Modern preparations based on these forest mushrooms strengthen the eye muscles and stop the clouding of the lens. There are cases when the pupil brightens.

Mushrooms help cleanse lymph and accelerate hematopoietic processes. They are often used for blood diseases. The only drawback is that it takes a long time to use mushrooms as a remedy, up to 6 months. Since they grow only in the spring, starting to appear in late April, dried morels are a good option. During the process of dehydration, they do not lose their beneficial properties.

Morel recipes

How to dry morels

Only fresh mushrooms with a good smell and elasticity are suitable for drying. Dry the morels whole, without cutting them. Clean the morels from forest debris and wipe with a damp cloth. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and dry at 70 degrees with the door open, turning the mushrooms regularly - they burn very quickly. Morels can be eaten only after 3 months of storage. Dried mushrooms should be stored in a dry place; moisture can spoil the mushrooms. Ready-made dried morels are slightly bent, but do not crumble, dry and light to the touch.

How and why to cook morels before frying?

Insects often hide in the cellular cap of mushrooms. In addition, this surface structure contributes to the settling and retention of sand and dust. It is difficult to completely clean mushrooms by simply washing them, so they are often soaked. And since morels are classified as conditionally edible, mushroom pickers recommend boiling them additionally before cooking. This will help remove toxic acids and completely clean the caps from any sand that has gotten into the cells.

Cook the mushrooms in several batches. It is not recommended to throw them into boiling water. You need to put the morels in cold water and put them on the stove. Another option is not to drain the liquid in which the mushrooms were soaked. It is suitable for the first cooking. Boil the morels for the first time for 5-7 minutes.

It is recommended to drain the first mushroom broth, no matter how fragrant it is. Morels should be washed under running water. The manipulation should be carried out carefully so as not to damage the fragile caps. Rinsing will help remove remaining insects, sand and small debris.

Then fill the pan with cold water, put morels there, add salt and pepper and cook for 15-20 minutes. After cooking, transfer the mushrooms to a colander to drain off all excess liquid and allow them to dry. Then morels can be added to soups and stews. In salads they go well with boiled eggs and canned cod liver.

It is also recommended to boil the mushrooms before marinating. This kind of culinary processing of morels is rare. When pickled, they are somewhat reminiscent of salted milk mushrooms in taste, but it is more common to dry them.

Morel and string mushrooms: where they grow, differences

In appearance, string mushrooms are very reminiscent of the same early spring guest as morels. But it’s enough to look at the photo and description to understand that the main difference is in the hat. Morels are more beautiful, they have a regular shape and deep grooves.

The lines with the appearance were unlucky. Their randomly arranged folds and intricate configurations visually resemble the surface of a walnut, and combined with a dirty appearance, they look ugly. They are practically devoid of legs; they are small and not clearly defined.

Depending on the time of growth, the lines are divided into spring and autumn. The first ones appear as soon as the frosts have gone, of which the plant is not very afraid.

If the cold does catch you, then with the start of warming the mushroom continues to grow, only dark spots on the surface remind of trouble. Found in pine forests and clearings. They love to grow in places of fires and fires.

The autumn mushroom reminds itself of itself in September and October. Prefers forests, most often found in mountainous areas. At this time there are already many other, no less tasty, mushrooms, so we are not so revered.

How long does it take to fry morels?

Since the mushrooms are pre-cooked until almost completely cooked, there is almost no need for further long-term heat treatment.

Morels are simply fried until golden brown to give them a beautiful golden color. 10-15 minutes are enough for this.

Cooking morels in sour cream

How to cook morel mushrooms without being bitter

Unlike many lamellar mushrooms with frankly bitter milky juice, morels do not have similar properties. They simply contain toxic substances, which, when boiled, leave the fruiting bodies and pass into the water. It is for this reason that they practice not even single, but double boiling.

Water should be poured out mercilessly after each procedure. The total boiling time can be up to 60-80 minutes. Although some consider it sufficient to boil the morels the first time for 10-15 minutes, and the second time bring the boiling time to 20-30 minutes.

After the second boiling, the mushrooms are washed again in cool water, and they can be considered ready for culinary preparation: frying, baking, stewing, pickling. Questions about how to cook morels should no longer arise - you can simply choose any of the recipes for cooking mushrooms described below and move on decisively. Any dish made from morels will be worthy of a royal table in terms of its taste.

Morel mushrooms in sour cream: an original method

To prepare mushrooms in sour cream, you need to take the following ingredients for 2 servings:

250 g morels;
100 ml high fat sour cream;
40 ml dry white wine;
1 small shallot;
0.5 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice;
1.5 tsp. butter;
salt, black pepper and other spices - to taste.

Before preparing morels in sour cream according to the original recipe, they must be heat treated, i.e. boiled. If wild mushrooms are small and can be stewed whole, it is recommended to soak them for 10 minutes in lightly salted water to get rid of possible worms or insects. Medium-sized and large mushrooms do not need pre-soaking. Large specimens need to be cut into large pieces, and slightly smaller specimens should be cut in half.

The shallots should be finely chopped and fried in oil until golden brown. Then pour in the wine and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add morels, pepper and salt. Lightly fry everything, add sour cream and lemon juice. Simmer until done for 15-20 minutes. If desired, you can sprinkle grated hard or soft cheese on top. Both gouda and mozzarella will do. Morels can be served as a side dish or main dish. They go great with meat, potatoes and pasta.

How to make morel sauces

How to wash morels from sand

Morels are difficult to confuse with any other mushrooms, since at this time of year they have no competitors, except perhaps their closest relatives - strings. With their original appearance with a wrinkled cap of an olive-brown hue covered with a mesh pattern, they attract and, at the same time, repel inexperienced mushroom pickers. But if you know how to cook morels correctly and tasty, you can also get a healthy dish. Ancestors used this mushroom to combat vision problems, in particular clouding of the eye crystals.

Despite their useful and delicious properties, morels are usually classified as a conditionally edible category. They should absolutely not be consumed raw. Any culinary processing of these mushrooms involves pre-soaking and boiling them.

Important! After the first boiling, the water must be poured out, since it is into it that all toxic substances pass.

But morels are also different in that tiny insects love to live in them. They also often grow on sandy soil and, due to their peculiar structure, are often clogged with dust and sand. At the same time, mushrooms are characterized by increased fragility; any awkward movement will lead to the fact that they can break, or even crumble into hundreds of small pieces.

Therefore, you should not immediately free the mushrooms from sand and debris - there may be too much waste.

Experienced mushroom pickers advise first to fill them with cold water with added salt and keep them in it for a while. Moreover, the mushrooms must be placed in a container with their legs up - this will make it easier for insects to get out of them. During this period, the main batch of bugs will safely get out and leave the fruiting bodies. Then the water with morels is placed on medium heat and, after boiling, boiled for about 10-15 minutes. The water must be drained, and the mushrooms themselves are thoroughly washed under cold water, thereby freeing them from the initial portion of sand and other forest debris.

Attention! Boiled morels become much more elastic and durable, and stop crumbling.

And already boiled mushrooms can be safely sorted out, freeing them from remaining insects and other debris. The legs from them are rarely eaten, since they do not have such a delicious taste as the caps. They are usually cut off and thrown away.

Before putting the mushrooms into the water for the second boiling, rinse them thoroughly again under running cold water.

Morel sauces

Morel sauces are appreciated by gourmets. The dressing vaguely resembles julienne. For the classic sauce you need the following ingredients:

250-300 g of fresh mushrooms;
30 g natural butter;
3-4 cloves of garlic;
100 ml sour cream 30% fat;
80-100 ml mushroom broth;
1-2 tbsp. l. flour;
1/4 tsp. chopped nutmeg;
Italian or Provençal herbs;
coarse salt;
pepper mixture.

Wash the mushrooms, soak and boil. Peel the garlic and chop finely. Fry the flour in a dry frying pan until golden brown. It will serve as a thickener for the sauce. Remove the flour. Melt a piece of butter in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms for 5-7 minutes. Then add garlic. After 2-3 minutes, pour in the mushroom broth, salt, pepper and add spices. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly.

Stir sour cream with flour until smooth and also add to the frying pan. The thickness of the sauce will depend on the amount of flour, so you can reduce it if necessary.

Place the finished mixture in a blender and grind to the consistency of jam. The dressing can be served with meat, chicken or beef liver.

You can also make mushroom sauce for pasta. For it you will need:

100 g morel caps;
100 ml heavy cream or coconut milk;
1 tbsp. l. tomato sauce;
0.5 tsp. mustard seeds;
0.5 tsp. ground sweet paprika;
0.5 tsp. mixtures of Italian herbs;
1 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
2-3 tbsp. l. dry white wine;
1 small onion;
3 tbsp. l. unrefined olive oil;
1/4 tsp. salt.

Mushroom caps are soaked and boiled. The onion is peeled, cut into half rings and fried in olive oil until soft. Finely chop the mushrooms and add them to the frying pan. After 5 minutes, pour in the wine. When the liquid has evaporated by 1/3, you can add sauces, spices and cream. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Serve with boiled pasta, without chopping, or pass through a blender.

Morel dishes

Helpful information

Where do they grow and when to collect morels?

In the CIS, morels grow everywhere. Most often they are found in wooded areas with deciduous or mixed vegetation along the edges and moss-overgrown lowlands, fires, wastelands, forest edges and field edges. The results of botanical studies have shown that these mushrooms “do not sit still” and constantly migrate. Scientists have not yet found an explanation for this phenomenon.

The most delicious salads for birthdays - 7 step-by-step recipes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV5jmZ3BCZA

Experienced mushroom pickers are well aware that morels are the earliest spring mushrooms. The first representatives appear already in April and are collected until the end of May. It is noteworthy that in some countries they are highly valued. In particular, in the USA, they often ask for several hundred dollars per kilogram of this delicacy.

Benefits and harms

Morels contain many vitamins and beneficial microelements; they contain a polysaccharide substance that has a positive effect on visual acuity. Morels are used in the production of medications that strengthen the eye muscles and prevent clouding of the lens. Additionally, these mushrooms increase appetite and improve the functioning of the digestive system, and have a tonic effect on the body.

Morels are tasty and healthy mushrooms if prepared correctly. Before eating, it is recommended to soak, boil or dry them to neutralize toxic acids. If this is not done, the meal will end in poisoning. At best, a person experiences nausea and vomiting, and at worst, a coma awaits.

How to distinguish morels from false mushrooms

Almost every edible mushroom has a poisonous clone. At the same time, not every amateur mushroom picker is able to distinguish an edible morel from its false counterpart, which is saturated with toxins. We are talking about the common fungus or gouty morel. According to statistics, a fifth of deaths after eating mushrooms are due to false morels.

How to protect yourself and your family? The edible morel cap has a lattice-like surface with numerous irregularities and depressions. The false cap is covered with wavy lobes and in appearance resembles the human cerebral cortex.

The false morel has a cap that is not completely attached to the base. If the mushroom is cut, white pulp is found inside. Edible morels are hollow inside. Be sure to remember this information if you want to try exotic mushrooms for breakfast or dinner. Good luck!

Morels with eggs

To diversify your everyday breakfasts, instead of the usual omelet or fried eggs, you can cook mushrooms with eggs. For the dish you will need the following ingredients:

150 g fresh morels;
2-3 eggs;
50 ml sour cream with a fat content of 20-30%;
sunflower oil for frying;
salt pepper.

First, you need to peel and wash the mushrooms, then boil them. It is advisable to change the water 2-3 times during cooking. Boiled mushrooms should be placed in a colander or sieve to allow the liquid to drain. After this, you can cut them into medium-sized pieces and place them in a frying pan. It is recommended to fry the mushrooms over medium heat until golden brown. Then they need to be removed from the pan.

In a separate container, whisk eggs with salt and pepper. Add sour cream and mix thoroughly. Pour into a frying pan and simmer over low heat. Then return the fried mushrooms back to the container. Cook for another 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Place on plates and sprinkle chopped herbs on top. Parsley, dill and green onions go well with morels.

How to fry morels with onions

How to freeze morels for the winter

Before freezing, all the above-described preparatory procedures with soaking, cleaning and boiling in two waters are performed with freshly picked morels.

Finally, wash the mushrooms again and allow the excess liquid to drain in a colander. Then they are laid out in small portions in bags, labeled, tied and sent to the freezer.

Since morels cannot be frozen twice, it is better to prepare bags of such a size that the contents of each of them can be eaten at one time.

Fried forest morels with onions

For fried mushrooms with green onions you need to take the following ingredients:

350 g of fresh forest morels;
1 small bunch of green onions;
1 tbsp. l. sunflower or olive oil;
1.5 tbsp. l. cream or coconut milk;
a pinch of salt;
sweet and hot red pepper - to taste.

The quantity of products is designed for 2 servings. Cooking time: 50-60 minutes. Soak wild mushrooms for 5 minutes. Boil water in a small saucepan, add salt and add morels. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Place the poached mushrooms in a colander and let the water drain. Heat a frying pan with oil on the fire, add the morels and fry over medium heat until golden brown.

Then add finely chopped onions, cream and both types of pepper. Vegetarians can replace the cream with coconut milk. It is not inferior to them either in nutritional value or taste.

The spiciness of the dish can be chosen based on individual preferences. You need to simmer the mushrooms with onions for another 5 minutes. The dish is served hot as an addition to boiled potatoes.

How to cook morels with potatoes

Recipe for delicious mushrooms and potatoes

Fried mushrooms with potatoes is an incredibly tasty and satisfying dish. But today I want to show you how you can diversify your menu and make a delicious casserole with giant stitches, potatoes and cheese. Let's cook together!

Let's take for the recipe:

Boiled lines – 300 g
Potatoes – 500 gr
Onion 1 piece
Hard cheese – 150 gr
Mayonnaise – 2 tbsp.
Garlic – 2 cloves
Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp.
Butter – 30 g
Salt - to taste

Strings are the same spring mushrooms as morels. Today we have a catch in the form of lines, so we will prepare a dish from them.

Among the lines there are two types: giant and ordinary. It is the giant ones that are tasty and edible. Ordinary lines are poisonous and should not be eaten under any circumstances. In the CONTENTS section of this article, click on “Spring Stitch and Morel Hunt” and watch the video. Immediately learn to distinguish noble fungi from poisonous fakes.

Preparation:

1. First, the lines need to be washed thoroughly, because a lot of sand, slugs, twigs, and thorns get clogged in the folds of the cap. Rinse, trim off all excess, let stand in water for 1 hour, rinse again. Otherwise, you will feel the creaking of sand on your teeth. Then they need to be cooked for 25-30 minutes. Drain and chop finely.

2. Now let’s prepare the other ingredients that you will need for the casserole. Let's boil the potatoes. Grate the cheese. Chop the onion.

3. Heat a frying pan, add vegetable oil and fry the onion until golden. Let's add the mushrooms here and fry for 15 minutes. Add butter for taste. Let's add some salt. Our mushrooms are ready and you can proceed to collecting ingredients for potato casserole.

4. Grease the inside of the refractory mold with vegetable oil. Place half the potatoes on the bottom, grate them and lightly crush them. Place a layer of fried mushrooms on top. And grate the remaining potatoes for the mushrooms.

5. Now let's prepare the cheese and garlic dressing. Mix grated hard cheese with mayonnaise and squeeze a couple of cloves of garlic with a press.

6. Evenly distribute the cheese with garlic and mayonnaise over the surface of the potato layer. Now place the pan in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15 minutes.

7. It turned out to be a very tasty, tender, aromatic dish. The lines crunch pleasantly; our family liked this real delicacy in early spring.

Once again I am convinced that natural forest resources must be protected. Berries, mushrooms, hazelnuts - what would we do without them? Or just walks in the woods? Our wonderful planet is Earth!

Morels with potatoes

Morels fried with potatoes are easy to prepare. To prepare a dish for 4 people you will need:

250-300 g morels;
500-600 g potatoes;
1 medium onion;
2 cloves of garlic;
1.5 tbsp. l. butter for frying;
salt, ground black pepper and a mixture of Italian herbs - to taste.

Cut the mushrooms into large pieces. Boil morels in lightly salted water. After the first cooking, which lasts 10 minutes, drain the water, add clean water, boil and boil the mushrooms again. The second time 5 minutes will be enough. Drain and gently squeeze the morels.

Wash the potato tubers, peel them and cut into small slices. Finely chop the onion. Pass the garlic through a press. Fry vegetables in oil until soft. Then add chopped mushrooms, salt and spices. Cook for another 5-10 minutes.

How to stew morels with vegetables

How to pickle morels

Products

Morel mushrooms - 1 kilogram Salt - 1 teaspoon Peppercorns - 30 peas Bay leaf - 6 leaves Citric acid - a third of a teaspoon Vinegar 6% - 3 tablespoons Cinnamon, cloves - to taste

How to pickle morels

Soak the morels, boil them, and pass through a colander. Boil the morels again in salted water for 10 minutes. While the morels are cooking, prepare a marinade for pickling the morels: add salt and all the seasonings, citric acid to a saucepan with 2 cups of water. The marinade is simmered over low heat for half an hour, then cooled. and add vinegar. Place the mushrooms in jars, pour in the marinade, close and store in a cool, dry place.

Stewed morels with vegetables

To prepare morels, the most unusual recipes are used, since these wild mushrooms go well with most foods. And a dish with added vegetables can be consumed even when on a diet.

Take the following products:

500 g mushrooms;
500 g cauliflower (it can be replaced with Chinese cabbage, broccoli or white cabbage);
500 g radish;
3 tbsp. l. butter or olive oil;
1 bunch of dill;
2 tbsp. l. wheat flour;
400 ml of ready-made vegetable broth;
1 bunch of green onions;
a mixture of herbs;
salt, pepper - to taste.

First prepare the vegetable broth. To prepare it you will need small carrots, onions, celery stalks, parsley and dill. It would be a good idea to add a few cloves of garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. Vegetables are peeled, cut into large pieces or used whole. They are filled with cold water and sent to medium heat. After boiling, it is recommended to add salt and all the spices. You need to cook for 20-30 minutes.

Mushrooms are prepared separately. They are cleaned and boiled 2-3 times. Then let the water drain. Cabbage and radishes are finely chopped. Dip into boiling vegetable broth. Halfway through cooking, add finely chopped mushrooms. 5 minutes before readiness, mix flour with melted butter, which can be replaced with olive oil. Grind these ingredients until a homogeneous mass is formed. Add to vegetables. Before turning off the heat, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

How to make morel soup

Morels fried with onions at home

We are used to enjoying fried mushrooms in the middle of summer, when boletuses, porcini mushrooms, and even moss mushrooms, russula, and boletus come in waves. It turns out that you can also enjoy spring morels, fried with onions, and even flavored with sour cream for juiciness and softness. This is how they are prepared!

Let's take for the recipe:

Boiled mushrooms – 350 g
Onion – 1 pc.
Vegetable oil for frying
Butter – 30 g
Sour cream – 4 tbsp.
Garlic – 1 clove
Salt, pepper - to taste

Preparation:

1. So, let's go to the forest to find slender handsome men. Let's get ready for a good roast and get down to business! Although no! Surely someone will now think: “I’m afraid to collect such mushrooms. They look too much like toadstools.” I agree with you! But that's what the Internet is for! Just go to the end of the article and watch the video in which an expert in forest nature very convincingly shows all the features of collecting edible morel caps.

2. They need to be cleaned very well, because grains of sand, leaves, and, in general, all kinds of debris get stuck in the folds of the caps. Rinse them in several waters and even soak them in water for an hour or two.

3. Prepare the morels for cooking. Cut large mushrooms into pieces, leave small ones whole. This must be done very carefully, since they are very fragile and break easily. Then let it cook. After boiling, cook for 30 minutes over low heat, constantly skimming off the foam.

4. Remove the boiled mushrooms into a bowl with a slotted spoon. They are ready for further action and now we will start frying them.

5. Throw the chopped onion into a heated frying pan and fry it until soft and transparent. Lay out the mushrooms and add butter. Mix. Close the lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add a finely chopped clove of garlic. Let's add salt and pepper.

6. To make the mushrooms juicier and softer, add a little sour cream and pour half a glass of water. Close the lid and simmer for another 10 minutes. Then add chopped parsley, mix and keep on low heat for another 5 minutes.

7. Turn off the fire. Our mushrooms are ready. Forest morels are in no way inferior in taste to summer aspen and boletus mushrooms. Very tasty. With boiled potatoes - Mmm...delicious!

In spring, it’s worth going to the forest to cook a spring delicacy. If you've never picked morels before, it's best to go with people who know which ones are edible and which ones aren't. There is another danger in the forest - ticks. At the end of April they have not yet woken up, but in the middle of the warm month of May there may be a whole invasion of them. Here it’s better not to go into the forest without special uniforms.

Soup with morels and meatballs

For a tasty and nutritious soup with meatballs, you need to prepare the following products:

500 g chicken or beef fillet;
1 student bun or slice of wheat bread;
15-20 pcs. small mushrooms;
6-8 pcs. medium potatoes;
1 small carrot;
1 onion;
1 egg;
5-6 tbsp. l. cream;
2 tsp. butter;
a pinch of chopped nutmeg;
pepper mixture;
2 bay leaves;
a bunch of parsley;
salt.

Wash and soak the mushrooms. They are sent to the fire to cook. The first water will have to be changed. On the second you can already cook the broth. Add salt, pepper and bay leaf. At this time, prepare the potatoes: peel, wash and cut into small cubes. The husks are removed from the onion. Carrots are washed and peeled. Vegetables can be chopped into strips or simply chopped finely. Fry half the onion and carrots in butter. Sent along with potatoes into mushroom broth.

Chicken breast or beef tenderloin is passed through a meat grinder. A bun or slice of white bread is soaked in milk and then squeezed out. The second half of the onion, a bun, an egg, salt and pepper are added to the homemade minced meat. Form meatballs and drop into soup. Cook until the potatoes are soft. Top with cream if desired. Before removing from the stove, sprinkle the meatball soup with finely chopped parsley.

Mushroom soup will be delicious if you replace the meatballs with smoked meat. The first course with corn grits and mushrooms will taste unusual. To prepare it you will need:

2-3 slices of boiled pork;
several small potatoes;
2-3 tbsp. l. corn grits;
6 tbsp. l. coconut milk or cream;
1 onion;
150 g boiled morels.

Chopped mushrooms are fried with onions in a small amount of vegetable oil. Separately, peeled and finely chopped potatoes are placed in a saucepan. After boiling, add the cereal. After 10-15 minutes, add the diced boiled pork. Boil until the potatoes are ready. At the end of cooking, add the mushrooms to the pan and season with cream or coconut milk.

How to cook chicken with morels

Cooking mushrooms with cream from frozen morels

This unusual recipe, which I found on the Internet, contains an amazing combination of morels with cream and orange slices. Hmm, at first I was averse to this strange interaction of ingredients. But then I thought that there are even stranger recipes. In addition, most likely, the orange here will not clog or spoil the taste of the mushrooms. It will simply give a peculiar note of aroma and add a piquant sourness to the taste of the dish. In short, here is the recipe and if you like it, prepare this dish.

https://youtu.be/1XUHSHBLAqo

Let's take for the recipe:

Frozen morels – 700 gr
Orange – 1 piece
Onion – 1 pc.
Cream – 500 ml
Salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. How did we freeze our mushrooms?

The most important thing about strings and morels is to thoroughly clean and rinse them. First, we clean it of visible debris: leaves, twigs, debris, cut off wherever we notice sand and dirt. Then carefully wash all the folds. Then soak for an hour and rinse again. Finally, cook for 30 minutes, drain the water. You can wash it again in running water. Then leave the mushrooms in a colander for several hours to drain all the liquid and dry them. And only now we’ll put them in plastic bags and put them in the freezer.

When we start cooking something from mushrooms, take them out of the freezer, let them defrost and wash them well.

2. The recipe consists of three consecutive steps. First, fry the mushrooms and onions. Then add orange slices. The third step is adding cream.

So, cut the onion into small cubes and throw it into a heated frying pan with vegetable oil. Fry the onion until light golden. Then add the mushrooms here and fry for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The fire should be small. Don’t forget to salt our mushrooms, but don’t over-salt them. The dish should be tender. All the flavors of the ingredients should somehow complement each other, but there should be no dominance of one of them.

3. Peel the orange, cut it into large pieces and add it to the fried mushrooms. Simmer the whole mixture, stirring occasionally.

4. When the orange slices soften and release their juice, it’s time to add the cream.

5. The cream should completely cover the surface of the mushrooms. Cover the pan with a lid, set the heat to the lowest setting, and continue to simmer until the cream begins to thicken a little. Open the lid several times and stir the mixture.

6. The finished dish looks very beautiful and appetizing. The aroma is amazing. I really want to try it! What's stopping us? We worked hard, we need to enjoy ourselves. Take the first sample! Yummy!!!

This is such an interesting recipe! If any of my readers are a spring mushroom hunter, prepare this dish. I think you won't regret it!

Chicken with morels

For 1 kg of chicken you need to take the following products in the specified quantities:

30-40 pcs. medium-sized or large forest mushrooms;
150 ml high fat cream or 30% sour cream;
30 ml dry white wine;
2 eggs;
2 yolks;
1 carrot;
1 onion;
2 cloves of garlic;
1.5 tbsp. l. wheat flour;
1.5 tbsp. l. butter;
salt;
chopped nutmeg;
pepper mixture.

Peel the onions and carrots and cut into large slices. Wash and chop the celery stalks. Peel the garlic. Place the vegetables along with the chicken in a saucepan with cold water, add spices and cook over low heat until tender. Cool the meat without removing it from the broth. Remove skin and bones. Grind the chicken in a meat grinder. Add wine to the minced meat, 1 tbsp. l. flour, eggs and nutmeg. Salt and pepper. Mix the composition. It shouldn't be too liquid.

Ready-made minced meat should be stuffed into the mushroom caps, which have previously been washed and peeled. Place the morels in a deep saucepan and pour in the prepared chicken broth. Simmer until done over low heat.

Then drain the broth and strain. Add sour cream or cream, yolks and 0.5 tbsp to the liquid. l. flour. Mix everything thoroughly so that there are no lumps left. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat to high. Do not boil the sauce, otherwise the yolks may curdle and ruin the dish. The finished chicken with morels is laid out in portions and sprinkled with any chopped herbs on top.

What are the benefits of morel mushrooms?

Since ancient times, such forest mushrooms have been considered a powerful medicine. By eating morels, you can improve the condition of the immune system, cope with various joint diseases, forget about rheumatism and more. Previously, healers used them to treat serious eye diseases. In particular, we are talking about myopia and farsightedness.

For medicinal purposes, it is necessary to eat properly prepared morels almost every day for 3-6 months. It is important to follow culinary technology and the order of heat treatment of the product, and for this you need to know a couple of secrets:

Morel caps are very fragile and crumble a little if you are not careful with them. That is why mushroom pickers recommend carefully placing them in each other’s baskets, and during the washing process, process each mushroom separately.
The cellular structure of the caps of such forest mushrooms makes them not only a place for dust and small debris to accumulate, but also a cozy home for insects. It is quite difficult to knock all this content out of morels even under running water, so it is best to soak them for several hours. The secret is that you need to place these mushrooms in a bowl with their legs up. This will make it easier for insects to get out, and the sand will spill out faster.
Before eating morels or using them as an ingredient in various dishes, such gifts of the forest must not only be thoroughly washed, but also boiled twice. Legs are eaten extremely rarely due to their toughness, so it is better to get rid of such a part immediately. If you do this immediately after washing, there is a risk of damaging and slightly crumbling your valuable cap. It is better to cut off the stems after the first cooking, when the morels become dense and will not fall apart.

Types of morels

So, if you are going to the spring forest to buy morels, what species might you encounter?

Common or real morel

This species is considered the most edible among all morels. Mushroom pickers collect it. However, it is also the most common type. It grows everywhere.

The cap is large, egg-shaped and heavily cellular. The height and diameter are approximately the same - 8 cm. The main color is yellow-ocher. There are also brown shades. Moreover, the older the mushroom, the darker its cap. It is hollow inside and fuses with the leg.

The leg is wrinkled and turns gray when fully ripe. It reaches a height of 9 cm, and a diameter of up to 3 cm. Inside, the leg, like the cap, is hollow. The leg widens towards the bottom.

The fungus is widespread in areas of former fires, forest edges and clearings.

Conical morel

The hat has a pronounced conical shape, which is why it got its name. The cells have a rhombic shape. The color of the cap is brown. Loves fertile soils with a lot of moss and sand. Prefers pine and deciduous forests. It can also be found in abandoned apple orchards. The size of the mushroom is from 5 to 10 cm, depending on its age.

The leg is low - up to 5 cm, cylindrical, up to 2 cm in diameter. The color of the leg is white, there may be a yellowish tint.

Morel tall

The mushroom is somewhat similar to a conical one. But his hat is a darker color. Cap dimensions: height up to 10 cm, diameter up to 5 cm. The cap is mainly olive, the cells are diamond-shaped or triangular.

The leg reaches a height of up to 15 cm and its diameter is 5 cm. The surface of the leg is granular. Slightly thickened at the top. In young mushrooms, the color of the stem is close to gray or pale yellow. Older ones are cream or brown.

The mushroom is widespread in our country. However, it is not as valuable as ordinary or real morel. In Europe, on the contrary, this type of morel is considered a delicacy.

Steppe morel

The largest among all morels. Another difference from its other brethren is that the mushroom is considered not conditionally edible, but edible. Distributed in steppe and forest-steppe zones, especially in areas of livestock grazing. If the winter was very snowy, then the harvest of this species will be massive.

The height reaches 25 cm, and the weight can be about 2 kg! Truly, this is the king of morels. And the taste, as lovers of spring mushrooms say, is excellent.

The cap is mostly round, spherical, but can also be conical. The diameter of the cap reaches 15 cm. The cells are either triangles or rhombuses. The color of the cap is grayish-brown. The leg is small, only about 2 cm in height.

If you cut the mushroom, you will find white pulp inside. which is quite dense and elastic. It has no smell, but a pleasant mushroom taste.

The fruiting body grows quite quickly, but its lifespan is limited to only one, rarely two weeks.

Semi-free morel

The mushroom is conditionally edible. The hat is cone-shaped and small. It narrows towards the top, where it becomes blunt-ended. The cells are large, arranged in even and regular rows. The color of the cap is brown, which varies from ocher to dark brown. The cap is separated from the stem by a rim.

The leg grows up to 9 cm, and in diameter up to 4 cm. Towards the bottom it thickens and is covered with a powdery coating.

The pulp of a young mushroom is brittle and fragile. The old one is elastic. The smell is somewhat unpleasant. But after heat treatment it disappears. The taste has a rich mushroom flavor.

Morel cap

The mushroom is edible. The hat reaches 5 cm in diameter. Its color is brown or yellowish-brown. Outwardly it resembles a bell. It differs from other morels in having a folded rather than cellular surface. The hat does not fit tightly to the leg, but only in the center.

The leg is high - up to 14 cm, its thickness is 2 cm. It is cylindrical in shape, white or whitish-yellow. It can be either smooth or pubescent. The leg is hollow inside. The smell of the mushroom is pleasant. Grows in deciduous forests, mainly aspen.

These are the most common morels, which are most often found in forests and are used as food. But I would like to show a few more types of stitches, which, as already mentioned, can be confused with morels.

Ordinary stitch

The species is considered conditionally edible. The hat is irregularly shaped and very much resembles a brain. This is the basis you should use when you see a mushroom in nature and want to determine whether it is a morel or a string.

The cap reaches 10 cm in height and 15 cm in diameter. Young mushrooms have a smooth cap, but as they grow older, it becomes wrinkled. Its color is brown, but can be orange and even reddish.

The length of the leg is 4 cm, and its diameter is up to 6 cm. The leg is smooth, tapering slightly towards the bottom. Hollow inside. The pulp is brittle, tastes pleasant with a fruity aroma.

This line grows on sandy soils, in clearings in coniferous and deciduous forests.

The line is gigantic

Just like the previous species - conditionally edible. Outwardly similar to an ordinary stitch, but larger in size. The diameter of the cap reaches 30 cm. Its shape is round and folded. The color is yellowish with an ocher tint.

The leg is short, irregularly shaped, wide. Hollow inside. The pulp is thin and brittle. Mushroom aroma, pleasant.

The mushroom is found in mixed and deciduous forests, mainly birch forests. Grows in groups.

Autumn stitch

This species is poisonous. It appears in the fall, which is why it got the name autumn. It can grow both on soil and on fallen, decaying trees.

The cap has the shape of a saddle with two or four blades. The diameter reaches 10 cm. The color of the cap is dark brown, the edge grows together with the stem. The leg is small: up to 6 cm in length, up to 3 cm in diameter. The pulp is thin, grayish in color.

Despite their characteristics, which are not very suitable for use as food, some species are, one way or another, used in cooking. Mostly morels.

Useful properties of morels

This forest product contains a lot of biologically active agents: vitamins (A, PP, C, B1, B2, D) and minerals - calcium, ash, phosphorus (especially), potassium. The special medicinal properties of morels are ensured by the presence in their structure of the FD4 polysaccharide and its derivatives, which can literally restore vision!

How can we use these not very beautiful, but very useful for the human body, mushrooms?

Archaeological scientists found a scroll called “Mushroom”, which contained recipes for preparing mushrooms, for what diseases and how they should be used as medicine. We were talking specifically about morels, which have been used by healers to treat eye diseases for centuries. These gifts of the forest cope well with age-related farsightedness, cataracts and myopia.

But it’s true that for a person of that time this was an important problem! At that time, glasses had not yet been invented, and vision was needed for survival. For example, in ancient times, abbots of monasteries regularly took morel tinctures and strongly recommended that monks and novices do so.

Like everything that healed in ancient centuries, in our time morels also found their way onto the “laboratory table”. It turned out that ancient knowledge was confirmed, and this type of mushroom really has healing properties! A group of substances was found in them that strengthen not only the eye muscles, but also directly affect the lens of the eye, which prevents it from becoming cloudy.

Nowadays, preparations have already been created based on the bioactive components found in morels. They have already been tested in ophthalmology clinics and conclusions can already be drawn: in 60% of patients, vision has improved by 20-30%, and the risk of cataracts has decreased to 20%.

Tincture of morel caps is used for rubbing for joint diseases and rheumatism.
A decoction of these mushrooms is considered an excellent tonic and health-improving agent. The decoction has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and increases a person’s appetite.

How to prepare a decoction of morel mushrooms? One tablespoon of dry or fresh mushrooms should be poured with a glass of water and boiled for half an hour. Then we let the broth brew for four hours, and then we just filter it. The finished decoction should be taken 4 times a day (ten minutes before meals, 50 ml).

Is it possible to eat Strog?

Although it is believed that ordinary stitches can be used as food, in their raw form they are deadly poisonous, and if improperly prepared, poisoning can occur. In addition, these mushrooms should not be eaten frequently, as they contain toxins that tend to accumulate in the body.

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Cooking morels: the best recipes

How to cook morels

Features of processing technology

Morels are mushrooms, the preparation of which is ensured by special technology, and also require pre-processing. They should not only be healthy and tasty, but also safe! Please note that these mushrooms cannot be used for cooking raw or fried - without long-term heat treatment. Also, morels usually contain a lot of sand, insects often hide in them, and therefore you need to be able to properly clean them and prepare them for use.

Primary processing

The first thing you need to do is carefully remove your catch from the basket and place them one by one in a large bowl in which you will then boil them. Mushroom specimens should be placed with their legs up and filled with cold water. Water will help them get rid of sand and insects that have gotten inside. Salt the morels that have stood a little in the water and put them on the fire.

As a rule, all mushrooms need to be boiled twice, but this especially applies to morels! The first time you need to cook them for five to ten minutes after the water boils. Then drain the hot water and rinse the mushrooms with cold water. At this stage you get rid of as much sand as possible. After this, you need to begin the most important work - sorting the mushrooms, which after boiling no longer crumble.

Sorting and second boiling

At this stage, the crop must be carefully examined and all debris in the form of leaves, insects, needles and twigs removed. It is better not to use the legs for food; separate them and then throw them away. Before boiling again, each mushroom must be rinsed in clean warm or cold water, thereby completely getting rid of the remaining sand. Carefully peeled mushrooms should be salted and boiled a second time (boil them for 15-20 minutes after the water boils).

Strain the boiled mushrooms through a colander and rinse them with cold water several times to completely wash away all the sand. After this, the product is ready for further cooking. You can make soup, fry them, add them to a salad, stuff them into something, or make mushroom sauce.

Morels with sour cream and cheese

Compound:

boiled morels – 0.5 kg;
onions – 0.2 kg;
sour cream – 0.2 l;
wheat flour – 40 g;
butter – 50 g;
hard cheese – 50 g;
salt, seasonings - to taste.

Cooking method:

Boil and cool the pre-washed and soaked morels. Cut them into small cubes.
Remove the skins from the onions and finely chop them.
Melt the butter in a deep frying pan, add the onion and fry it until caramelized.
Add mushrooms, fry them for 7-8 minutes, covering the pan with a lid.
Salt and season the mushrooms, sprinkle with flour, stir.
Place sour cream in the pan with mushrooms. Let it boil. Simmer the mushrooms in it for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the morels, along with the onions and sour cream, into a heat-resistant form or place in cocotte makers.
Finely grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the food.
Place the mold or cocotte bowls with mushrooms in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Leave in it for 10 minutes.

Morels prepared according to this recipe are similar to julienne. There is no shame in serving such an appetizer even at the holiday table.

Themed onion soup (4 servings)

Ingredients:

Raw morels – 500 g
Onions (large) – 4 pcs.
Sherry – 1/2 cup
White bread – 4 pieces
Gruyere cheese – 100g
Butter – 4 tbsp.
Sugar – 2 tbsp.
Cloves (ground) – 1 pinch
Nutmeg (ground) – 1 pinch
Salt - to taste.

Preparation:

We clean the morels, cut them, and rinse them under running water. Cut into large pieces and boil with cloves in one glass of water for 20 minutes. We drain the water and do not use it.
Cut the onion into half rings. In a thick-bottomed saucepan over a low flame, melt the butter and fry the onion for fifteen minutes. Add sugar to the onion and simmer for another ten minutes.
Pour in the sherry and continue cooking until the smell of alcohol disappears.
Add chicken broth and cook, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes.
Now we add mushrooms, catching a few morels to decorate the croutons. Season with nutmeg and salt. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Toast the bread in a toaster, cut out round croutons, sprinkle with grated cheese, decorate the top with a mushroom and place in the oven for five minutes at 170°C.

Pour the soup into bowls and serve with hot croutons.

Note: If you don't have sherry, substitute white wine, it's not the same thing, but it works well with white wine.