2torial #0860:
Learn2 Appreciate Gourmet Mushrooms (continued)

Tame wild mushrooms

Appearing sporadically during rainy seasons (usally autumn or spring), wild mushrooms are tantalizingly elusive and very desirable. They are the stars of the culinary fungus firmament.

Porcini. The Boletus group of mushrooms have tiny, sponge-like pores under their caps rather than the gills other mushrooms have. The most prized among them is Boletus edulis, called cepes in France and porcini (or "little pigs") in Italy--perhaps in honor of their plump little stems bulging out from under their round caps. Fresh porcini have been called "poor man's steaks" for their meaty flavor and texture (though now they're often more expensive by weight than steaks). Dried, they have smoky, woodsy flavors.

Drying seems to bring out the best in porcini. Look for dark, aromatic pieces that are solid and clean. Fresh ones should be brown and flawless, and the underside of the cap should be firm to the touch, with no greenish or yellowish discoloration (this indicates over-ripeness). Grill fresh porcini caps, and use dried pieces to infuse soups, stews, and stocks with their flavor.

Note: Overripe fresh porcini can often be salvaged--just remove the mushy or discolored undersection of the cap and discard.

Chanterelles. The widely gathered and beloved Cantharellus cibarius or golden chanterelle resembles golden-orange flowers, with fleshy, undulating caps and shallow, widely spaced gills. It has flavors and aromas of wood and apricot or peach. Related species include earthy, buttery black chanterelles (C. cinereus, C. fallax, and C. cornucopioides), and the rarer, meatier white chanterelle (C. subalbidus).

Golden chanterelles don't freeze well and are best used fresh. Look for firm, fragrant, golden specimens--reject chanterelles that are slimy or discolored or whose gills crumble under your fingertips.

Morels. In springtime, mushrooms of the coveted genus Morchella raise their crinkly caps above ground. Notoriously elusive, morels have resisted cultivation until very recently, so most are still wild--and expensive. Their flavor is seductive--nutty, meaty, and spicy.

Choose firm fresh morels with larger caps than stems and use them as soon as possible (refrigerate in the meantime). Fresh, they may be left whole and stuffed with various fillings (including meat and rice preparations) before being cooked. They dry and reconstitute well.

Others. Other popular wild mushrooms include toothsome young blewits (Lepista nuda), delicate hedgehogs (Hydnum repandum), and mild, chewy matsutake (Trichoma magnivelare).