It sounded too good to be true. I received an email from a family friend saying that he had an abundance of fresh Chanterelle and Lobster mushrooms available and “would I like him to drop some by?”
Turns out, my friend Holden has made quite a hobby of harvesting mushrooms in the local forests in the fall and someone mentioned to him that I may be an interested “customer”.
“Absolutely, I’ll take a pound of Chanterelles”, I wrote back as quickly as I could, fearing the offer would go away as quickly as it came {and still not quite believing that this was really gong to come to fruition}.
But it did.
A few hours later I was gently holding a small paper bag packed to the top with golden Chanterelle mushrooms. When I poured them out on a plate, I couldn’t help but to marvel at their near perfect condition.
These Chanterelles were the most perfect, pristine specimens I have ever laid eyes on, they were firm, plump and perfect looking. The creamy, honey color was warm, fresh and inviting.
A pan of sautéed Chanterelles is one of the most elegant and simple side dishes I can imagine for an autumn meal. Their distinctive flavor, which I would describe as earthy, and honey~like, with a little tinge of orange.
These mushrooms were so clean, I just trimmed the stems, wiped them with a cloth and cut the larger ones into pieces which would be a large bite size after they were sautéed.
I melted some butter {I always use Tillamook salted butter}, drizzled in a little olive oil and gave them a quick sauté. A little coarse sea salt and chopped parsley were the finishing touch for these delights, fresh from their forest bed.
Next week, Holden is going to check his “white chanterelle spot” and mentioned that they are “a little larger, firmer and more fragrant” than the goldens. I’ll keep you posted {and my fingers crossed}!
For a previous post with more details on a splendid mushroom sauté, click on funghi.
Lucky you! They look delicious. One of my favorite flavors of fall!