While you’re out scouting, don’t forget to look down. In addition to finding animal sign, you might stumble onto a bounty of wild chanterelle mushrooms. Beloved by foragers and hunters alike, chanterelles are a good “beginner mushroom” (easy to identify, with no deadly lookalikes…) and bring a surprising hint of apricot to the table. If you’re lucky enough to bring home a haul, use Chef Michael Hunter’s risotto recipe to make the most of these golden delights.
- 2 cups chanterelle mushrooms
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 stalk of celery, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons mascarpone (whipped cream cheese can be substituted)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Whole piece of Parmesan cheese for grating. About ½ cup grated.
- A pinch of salt, pepper, and chili flakes
- Chive and parsley to garnish
- Toast the rice in a pan on high heat. Toss and stir until the edge of the rice begins to brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the olive oil and half the butter to the pan, then add the shallot and celery. Sauté until tender, then add the garlic and mushrooms. Sauté until tender, then add the white wine and cook off the alcohol.
- Add the rice back to the pan and stir and toss. Add the salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
- Slowly add the stock in stages: 1 cup at a time. Stir and toss and continue cooking until the stock is absorbed before adding another cup of stock. This is crucial for developing the creamy texture.
- Once all the stock has been added, turn the heat to low and add the remaining butter and mascarpone. Stir and toss to combine, then add fresh grated Parmesan and stir to combine.
- Add to a serving bowl and top with the fresh chives and parsley. Grate more Parmesan on top before serving.
FAQs
Look for healthy hardwood or mixed forests, creek edges, and ridges, as well as areas with oak, beech, birch, hemlock, or pine. Like any mushroom, chanterelles like moisture, so head toward moist areas (think deep, dark woods) or spots that have recently received good rainfall.
Gently clean the chanterelles with a damp cloth or light stream of water (they’re delicate, so you don’t want to tear them). Leave the chanterelles in larger pieces so they stand out in your chosen dish. Sauté the chanterelles in a pan with butter. For a creamy risotto, follow Chef Michael Hunter’s step-by-step chanterelle risotto recipe.
Chanterelles can be kept in the fridge for about five days (use a paper bag vs plastic so they don’t get slimy). If you’d like to preserve them, many foragers swear by freezing chanterelles vs. dehydrating them (some claim dehydration removes the chanterelle’s unique apricot essence). To freeze, first sauté them in a pan and then package them, either in zip-locs with the air removed or with a vacuum sealer.