higher and higher and higher

here’s an update for the chanterelles i purchased from The Garden @ Becky Lane booth at the Argenta Farmers Market on saturday. remember that mushroom brush you never, ever use? well, dig it out. first, cut the tough, dirty root end off the ‘shrooms. now, rinse (yes, i said rinse) the chanterelles under cold running water while using that forgotten mushroom brush, dragging the dirt away from the mushroom. place the rinsed chanterelles, trumpet facing down, on a dry dish towel. now you’re ready to do an infinite number of yummy things to ‘em. cut the large chanterelles in 1/2 and leave the smaller ones whole. the pieces will look large, but they shrink considerably as they cook. here’s how i prepared them; sauté chanterelles in 1 tablespoon of butter, using tongs to gently turn them & cooking long enough to allow them to soften, about 4-5 minutes on medium high heat. add salt, a smidge of cayenne & some finely ground pepper (you can use white pepper) and a 1/2 clove of garlic. sauté the garlic for less than 30 seconds. add a splash of cognac (white wine or sherry is a-ok) to finish it, cook off the alcohol, about another minute or two. that’s it, ugly betty. this makes for an excellent side dish or serve on top of toast for a lovely brunch or lunch. heap on toasted baguette rounds for a spectacular crostini appetizer. the options are really endless. the idea is to showcase the chanterelles and not bury them in some soup or other convoluted recipe. i tried the ‘chew 30 times’ rule to savor the deliciousness, after all, this could be considered a decadent lunch at $7.50 a quart, but, trust me, well, well, worth it. go buy some.

The Garden @ Becky Lane
Argenta Farmers Market
Tuesdays & Saturdays 7-noon