Porcino, Morel and Chanterelle: A Feast of Wild Mushrooms

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To clean mushrooms, use a soft cloth or brush to remove obvious forest debris, sand, or soil; be aware that some mushroom brushes are much too stiff, so you’ll want something like a baby brush. Then use a small, sharp knife to remove bruised spots and insect-infested areas. Insects love porcini, take or leave chanterelles, and rarely bother morels. Stems of porcini and morels can be removed at this stage if you plan to use the caps right away. Save the stems for drying or use them to make mushroom broth. The caps and stems of chanterelles are continuous and both are good to eat. Check the pores of porcini. Those on very fresh porcini are a pale buff color. But if they’ve turned brownish-green, they will become mushy when cooked. Many cooks routinely trim the pores from porcini to maintain an even texture.

Mushroom cooks hotly debate the use of water to clean fungi after brushing and trimming. If you’re satisfied that the mushrooms are clean, it’s best not to use water, particularly if you’re going to grill or roast them. If the mushrooms will be braised, sautéed to reabsorb their juices, or used in soups or sauces, a little water won’t make a difference. My own preference is the knife, cloth, or brush for harvested mushrooms, water for store-bought ones.

Many cooks find that the flavors of morels and porcini, unlike chanterelles, intensify when they are dried. Since mushrooms are over 90 percent water, they shrink to half or less of their fresh size. To dry, clean the mushrooms well without using water. Leave small ones whole and slice large ones at least 1/4-inch thick. Layer them, not touching, on racks that allow for air circulation. Dry in full sun for a day or two when the humidity is less than 50 percent, and turn the mushrooms once. Or dry at the lowest oven setting with the oven door ajar for twelve to twenty-four hours, checking the mushrooms frequently. When they’re ready for storage, they should be slightly leathery and pliable. Well-dried and stored in airtight jars, these ­varieties keep for years.

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