Morels are a delicacy in many cuisines and are highly sought after by gourmet cooks. Their distinct nutty flavor and meaty texture make them a favorite ingredient for many dishes, especially in Catalan and French cuisine. They are often sautéed or used to make sauces and soups. In this article, we will find where to find them, how to identify them, and many more. So let’s jump in…
Morel Mushrooms
They are highly prized by mushroom hunters and chefs for their distinct flavor and meaty texture. They are also very difficult to find, as they blend in with their surroundings and only appear for a short period each year. Also, they have a unique and earthy taste, making them a popular ingredient in many dishes.
They are known to appear in a particular location for only a few days, making them challenging to find. Even experienced mushroom hunters have to demonstrate their skills to locate them in the wild. Once discovered, the patches of these mushrooms are highly valued and kept secret. Revealing the location of a Morel patch is an expression of friendship and trust.
Morel Mushrooms Habitat: Where do morel mushrooms grow?
These mushrooms can be found in the northern hemisphere from the month of April to June. They thrive in apple orchards, at the base of dying deciduous trees. They can also be found living around cottonwoods, oaks, and poplar trees.
In North America, they can be found in great abundance, especially in the first spring following a forest fire. Morels are always found on the ground either alone or in groups. They do not grow on trees like other mushrooms.
How to identify Morel Mushrooms
They have honeycomb-like caps. The spore prints of morels are white, cream, or pale yellow. The morels are around 6-20 cm in height and have honeycomb-shaped oval caps. The cap is yellowish cream to light brown in color and consists of deep, irregular angular pits.
The stalk of morels is generally smooth but may be slightly grooved also. The base of morel mushroom is slightly swollen at the soil level. Morels are hollow and white from the inside.
Can we eat Morel Mushrooms raw?
When you are eating morel mushrooms for the first time make sure to eat in small quantity to ensure that you are not allergic to them. It is advised not to eat Morels raw, as it may cause stomach distress. Also, ensure that the morels are fresh do not eat old morels if they are showing signs of decay as they may be poisonous.
Morel Mushroom look-alike
While hunting for morel mushrooms make sure to avoid picking the poisonous false morel (Gyromitra esculenta), which looks like morel at first sight. So one should take proper care while picking the morel mushrooms.
Gyromitra esculenta (False Morel)
Like the true Morel mushroom, it looks alike False morel can also be found in spring in coniferous forests. The cap of the false morel is more brain-like and not honeycomb-like. It has wrinkles and folds and lacks true pits.
To know whether you have picked the true morel or the false one you can check it by slicing the cap of the false morel from top to bottom and you will find it to be multi-chambered, unlike the true morel, which has a single hollow continuous chamber from top to the bottom.
Although the name False Morel, esculent means “edible”, it is deadly poisonous.
How to dehydrate morel mushrooms?
Morel mushrooms dry very well and sun drying them increases their shelf life to a great extent. The traditionally used method for drying the morels involves threading the caps onto the string and then hanging them in the sun.
Morel Mushrooms price
Well as you know the cultivation of morel mushrooms is not possible although there have been some studies where morels have been cultivated but it is not very effective. So, one question that came to the mind is how much do morel mushrooms cost? The dried morel will cost you around $12/Oz.
What Morel Mushrooms are so expensive?
Morels are costly mushrooms and the reasons for this are
- They are very difficult to cultivate with a very low success rate. Thus have to be foraged from the wild.
- They have a very short growing season because of which there is a demand and supply mismatch thus high prices. Also, they are highly perishable mushroom species.
How to store Morel Mushrooms
Fresh morel mushrooms are highly perishable so they should be consumed as early as possible. You can store them in the refrigerator to increase their shelf life but it should be consumed within a week.
For prolonging the shelf life of Morel mushrooms you can dry them in the sun. The dried morel if kept in a dry place and in an air-tight container will increase its shelf life or up to six months.
Cooking Morel Mushrooms
Morel mushrooms can be used in various meals and to prepare morels firstly clean them with water. Now slice them from top to bottom and cook them as you like. You can sauté them or use them to make sauces and soups. One should remember that morels should not be eaten as they can upset the stomach.
Morels Mushrooms benefits
Apart from their meaty texture and distinct flavor, they are beneficial for health. They are low in calories and high in protein. Apart from that they also contain vitamins and minerals that are essential for our body. The vitamins and minerals present in morels are iron, copper, phosphorous, calcium, vitamin E, niacin, folate, and many more.
FAQ
Q. How to dry morel mushrooms?
Ans. Drying the morels involves threading the caps onto the string and then hanging them in the sun.
Q. How much is a pound of morel mushrooms?
Ans. The dried morel mushrooms will cost you around $200/lb.
Q. Can morel mushrooms be cultivated?
Ans. Morel Mushrooms are generally not cultivated as they are difficult to cultivate.
Q. Are Morel Mushrooms edible?
Ans. Yes, They are edible but one should be cautious not to eat their poisonous look-alike.
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