Cookaholics Bulletin Board

A friend just gave us some chanterelles that he gathered....never having had any before, I'm looking for a how-to and suggestions on preparing them. Thank you!

I adore chanterelles...they grow here prolifically. Their flavor is very delicate and unmistakeable.

They can be used many ways, and if you're not adverse to cream sauces, one of my favorite ways is to pick your favorite delicate protein, e.g, scallops or veal scallopine and go from there. Sauté the protein, remove from pan, add mushrooms and sear lightly. Remove mushrooms from pan, deglaze with white wine, reduce. Add stock, reduce again. Add cream and reduce to thicken. Add the protein and chanterelles back into the pan and finish with fresh herbs. That's a bare bones approach, but is a jumping off point.

Amy

Thanks, Amy! I'm not a big creamy-sauce kind of person, but a little once in a while is good.....I will try to figure something out here. I was also told I could freeze them if I sauteed them first...do I just sautee them in a bit of oil? Do I cut them up first? This is all new to me.

If you're not a cream sauce fan (I am when it comes to chanterelles), then you can simply use them as you would with many other types of mushrooms to serve with any delicate protein. That's the real key...don't overpower them.

If you want to freeze, I'd recommend making them into a duxelles before you do.

Amy

Hi,

I'd saute them in butter... Amy's recipe is a can't miss delicious treat.

Tim

I think you are right about not overpowering them; my friend just put them in a stew and she thought that was way too complex a dish for them to stand out...