In the world of mushrooms there is a whole range of sizes and colors. Today we come to talk about the spring mushroom by definition. It's about the morel. Its scientific name is morchella and it has some varieties such as morchella esculenta and morchella vulgaris. It belongs to the funghi kingdom, since it is a fungus, like the rest of mushrooms. It is a quite tasty fruit and is used in the preparation of many dishes and cooking recipes.
Do you want to know the characteristics of this mushroom and where can you find it?
Morel characteristics
The morel is a dark mushroom, which is shaped like a cypress and whose surface it is quite rough and strange. The texture is quite cartilaginous and thanks to it, it serves as an accompaniment to many dishes such as meat, fish, foie and some cream. Its name comes from its rugged, beehive-like appearance.
This mushroom has been in use since prehistoric times and when it appears in the forest it is very unpredictable, hence it is highly valued in the wild.
It has a whitish troco that is the one that supports the hat with an oval shape and as a whole it has a shape as if it were a mini-cypress. The interior is hollow and its walls are white. Its total length is usually between 6 and 10 cm in height.
This mushroom is quite attractive and mysterious, as it differs in shape from the rest. In addition, when it is cooked its color darkens, which does not happen with other types of mushrooms. Its aroma and texture is quite smooth and it is usually accompanied in many dishes. The texture may be more special than the aroma, since it is as if it were slightly crunchy but not really. Its texture is similar to that of a cartilage.
Where is morel found?
Its release into the wild and its subsequent growth are highly anticipated by fans of mushroom picking and tasteful cooks. As mentioned before, this mushroom is a bit hit and miss and hard to find. Its habitat can be as diverse as it can grow both on plains like mountains, under elm and apple trees, in meadows, streams and areas of Mediterranean forest.
As you can see, it is something too unpredictable and capricious to know the areas where they will appear and go there to collect them. What can give a clue to where you are is that you like porous soils with the presence of organic residues that have starches and sugars. They can also be found something more frequently in those places where there were previously earthworks or even a fire.
The time of year where morel is collected is in spring. Its highest peak of consumption by people is between March and May. Although it is this time of year when it is most frequent, finding this mushroom in the wild in its most dried version is very difficult. It must be taken into account that this more dried version is more in demand, since it is more suitable for various uses and its flavor is more intense.
Buying and storing morels
Another option you have if you want to consume morel is to buy it in specialized and vegetable stores. If you know the areas where you can frequently find this type of mushroom but do not want to go and collect them yourself, you can also go to the stores near the areas where they are collected.
To recognize if a morel is in good condition, before buying it, you should look at its degree of humidity and its texture. When they are fresh they do not have to be broken, have some kind of stain or present bumps, rather, as a whole they should be waxy in color and appear moist and cool.
Once we have bought the morels, we have to guarantee a good conservation. Like the rest of mushrooms, morel has a fairly high percentage of water. This is responsible for its rapid deterioration. At most, it can be kept for a maximum of two days in the refrigerator and must be placed in a container that can retain its moisture but which, in turn, allows it to breathe. This type of container can be perfectly a strainer covered with a damp cloth.
Despite being a mushroom that has a large amount of humidity, it is one of the best to withstand drying. If we acquire it in a dried state from the first hour, we can keep them in a cool and dry place without light. On the other hand, if we want to buy them fresh and then dry them, we will spread them on newspaper and place them where there is a draft and it is dry. Only occasionally can it be dried by direct sunlight or other external heat source.
What dishes can you cook?
With the morel you can cook many very tasty and healthy dishes. The first thing to keep in mind before cooking with the morel is that, as with the rest of the mushrooms, they must be cleaned very well so that the remains of earth and litter that it may have are detached. The dirtiest part of the foot is removed and the rest is cleaned, always avoiding washing them with water. If they are too dirty, they will be rinsed with water but not too long.
Morel is usually cooked whole to appreciate its characteristic shape. Because has some toxic substances, It must be cooked very well to eliminate any risk of poisoning. It can be used for stewed and juicy dishes, in combination with other ingredients. It is widely used for dishes such as meat stews, sautéed vegetables, some creams, fish and shellfish, scrambled eggs ... It can also be hollowed out to fill with ingredients and make stuffed morel.
If you use the morel in a dry state, it can be rehydrated in cold water and used as if it were fresh. Whenever possible, the juice that emerges when treating it will be used to give a better flavor to meals.
With this information you can surely enjoy a good dish with morel and you will be satisfied.