Tag Archive for "chanterelle"

Aside from the turkey, I’d argue that stuffing is the most important Thanksgiving dish. Stuffing is an absolute classic. Never mind the fact that we don’t actually stuff the turkey with stuffing anymore (it’s a health risk!), this classic still has it’s place on the Thanksgiving table.

I’ll admit, however, that I’m not crazy about the classic all-American Stouffer’s stuffing. I prefer a rustic, bread-pudding-esque stuffing. I like stuffing with flavor and texture and contrast. Stuffing should not be a lump of mushy bread, rather, a good stuffing is moist, rich, and perfectly crisp and brown along the edges.

This particular stuffing recipe highlights some of Oregon’s finest ingredients: chanterelles and hazelnuts. We are nearing the end of chanterelle season in Oregon, so I wanted to create a stuffing that highlighted these wonderful mushrooms. The chanterelles add a buttery richness to the stuffing, and the hazelnuts lend a delicious and nutty crunch. This stuffing is simple, elegant, and seasonal. If I may say so, I think it would make a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving table.

Lastly, tune in this Sunday, November 24th, to KPAM 860 for Missy Maki’s Ultimate Oregon Thanksgiving Show! I’ll be on air – along with a group of fantastic food bloggers – and we’ll be talking about our Ultimate Oregon Thanksgiving recipes (including this recipe). It’s going to be a blast, so be sure to listen in!

The Northwest’s Best Stuffing with Chanterelles, Hazelnuts, and Sage

Serving Size: 8-10

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter
3 shallots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
3/4 pound chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
1⁄2 cup white wine
1 cup (or more) chicken stock
8 cups cubed brioche bread (can substitute high quality white or sourdough bread)
2 tablespoons sage leaves, minced
3⁄4 cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
1.5 cups heavy cream
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Can be done ahead of time: To make stuffing, you’ll need dry/stale bread cubes. If you’re working with fresh bread, you’ll need to manually dry out the bread cubes. To do this, arrange the cubes on baking sheets in a single layer. Bake in a 300 degree oven, tossing occasionally, until the bread is crunchy and golden brown (about 15 minutes).
To make the stuffing: Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, onion, and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the mushrooms and 1 tsp of thyme. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the liquid has evaporated. Add in the white wine and continue to cook, until the liquid has mostly reduced. Add in 1/2 cup of stock and cook until there is very little liquid left in the pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside until use.
In a large bowl, toss together the bread cubes, hazelnuts, sage, thyme, and sauteed mushrooms. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, and remaining chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the cream mixture over the bread mixture and toss to coat. Spread the stuffing into the prepared pan. If the mixture seems dry (it should be moist), pour a bit of chicken stock over the top of the stuffing. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes

Recipe adapted from NY Magazine

http://rosemarried.co/2013/11/20/northwests-best-stuffing-with-chanterelles/

For most of my life, I despised mushrooms. I hated the taste and color of mushrooms, but most of all I hated their slimy texture. I viewed mushrooms as an obstacle between me and a delicious slice of pepperoni pizza.

Granted, I had good reasons for hating mushrooms. When I was a kid, I ate a small handful of mushrooms I found growing in the backyard. My mom freaked out, naturally, and had me take some sort of medication that forced me to puke up all the potentially poisonous mushrooms. It was not my finest hour. In fact, I remember the whole experience was absolutely miserable.

That day, I decided I hated mushrooms and I never looked back.

Fast forward 20+ years and I am now living in Oregon. I am married to a mushroom-loving Oregonian. Mushrooms grow like weeds in Oregon, so I am literally surrounded. Eventually, I gave in. I can actually remember the first bite of a mushroom I tried that I actually liked. It was a morel that had been sauteed in a bit of butter — and it was nothing like those sad, grey mushrooms slivers I habitually pick off my pizza. It was meaty and dense, full of flavor and texture. It was delicious.

And now, I find myself wandering in the woods in search of wild mushrooms. I’m that person. (To be fair, I still don’t get mushrooms on my pizza. Old habits die hard, I suppose.) I have been converted to the wonderful world of mushrooms, and there is no looking back.

Here’s the thing, I am very new to the world of mushroom hunting. I am no expert, by any stretch of the imagination. But, I think that foraging for mushrooms is a blast and I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks with you all.

The first rule when hunting for mushrooms, is know thy mushroom. Do your homework! Buy an identification guide. Before you go picking (and eating!) wild mushrooms, you should know what you’re looking for. Secondly, be safe! Do not hunt for mushrooms on private property and be sure to wear bright colors when wandering about in the woods. Lastly, pack lightly. When I forage for mushrooms I bring a knife (to cut/harvest the mushrooms), a sack for carrying the haul (burlap or something porous, so the mushrooms will spread their spores), a bottle of water, and my iPhone (for Instagramming, of course). That’s really all you need!

Since we are in the midst of chanterelle season, here a few notes about hunting for these particular mushrooms. (Thankfully, chanterelles are one of the easier mushrooms to identify and there aren’t many ‘false’ chanterelles.) Chanterelles do not have typical gills like other mushrooms, rather, they have shallow ridges. Chanterelles are not hollow and they are usually orange in color and grow out of the moss and dirt. (Note: there is a variety of mushroom that looks something like a chanterelle and it grows on wood. Chanterelles only grow out of the ground and do not grow on wood, which is a helpful identifying tip).

As I said, I’m no expert. I’m very new at this, but I’m having a blast! Oregon is teeming with an amazing array of mushrooms, and I’ve only begun to scratch the surface. I can’t wait for more mushroom hunting adventures! As for now, I have chanterelles coming out my ears. :) My last few foraging trips have been quite successful and I’ve cooked a lot of chanterelles in the past few weeks. Of all of the recipes I’ve tried, this one is my favorite, so I thought I’d share. Keep in mind that this recipe does not have to be made with foraged chanterelles — you can also purchase them in stores!

Cream of Chanterelle Soup

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

1 pound chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
4 large shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
1 cup heavy cream
Salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne

Instructions

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook shallots and garlic in butter for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
Add chanterelles and continue to cook for 5-10 more minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated.
Pour in the chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne. (Be sure there is enough liquid to full cover the mushrooms.) Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and thyme stems. Using an immersion blender (or food processor), puree the soup. Stir in the cream and return the pot to the stove and cook for 10 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.
Optional garnish: cook a few cook a few extra chanterelles with butter, salt, and pepper for 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle the mushrooms atop the soup for added texture and color.

Notes

Adapted from Saveur

http://rosemarried.co/2013/10/02/hunting-mushrooms-recipe-cream-chanterelle-soup/