Every Spring we look forward to heading out into the woods and foraging for wild morel mushrooms. Mushroom season usually peaks around the end of April where we live but the season got off to an early start this year. We had our biggest find of the year on Easter Sunday when hubby came back with almost 40 mushrooms!

The morel mushroom can usually be found in wooded areas, along roadways, old orchards, and even along railroad tracks (where hubby found his 40!). We’ve even found them growing in the middle of our yard before! They are commom to most of the U.S., especially the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Morels can be grown using home growing kits but we have never tried this method. They can also be purchased fresh or dried depending on the season but beware, they come with a pretty hefty pricetag!

Once you have your morels it is time to cook’em up and enjoy them! We start by soaking them in salt water. This helps clean out any stowaway bugs and flavors the mushroom just slightly. We soak them for about an hour. We then pat them dry and cut them in half lengthwise. Larger mushrooms can be cut into quarters and smaller ones can be left whole.

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms
• Egg
• Flour
• Butter

Directions:

1. Start by beating the egg with a little water to thin it out.
2. Dredge your mushrooms in the egg and then coat with flour. Set aside until all the mushrooms are done and ready to cook.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet, preferrably cast iron, over medium heat. Don’t scrimp on the butter, we’re not going for low calorie here! You’ll want enough to allow the mushrooms to get a rich golden color, a few tablespoons to a quarter cup depending on how many you are cooking.
4. Once your butter is heated and ready begin laying your mushrooms in your skillet. Allow to cook until they have a nice golden brown color, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Turn your mushrooms and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes until done.
6. Remove the mushrooms and allow to cool slightly on a paper towel-lined plate.
7. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy while still warm!

We eat our mushrooms without any dipping sauce because we really love the flavor of the mushroom itself, but you could always try this recipe along with your favorite sauce.

***Use caution when hunting wild mushrooms as many can be poisonous and even deadly. Ask an experienced mushroom hunter for help if you aren’t sure!***

Here are a few resources to check out for more information:

• The Great Morel
• Morels.com
• Morel Mushroom Hunting
• Mother Earth News – Morel Mushrooms

Happy Hunting!