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FeedInto the Wild
Make room for morels on your spring menu
By Kathryn West
Photo by Maki Strunc Photography
Begin with a tasty salad. Lee Ann Landstrom, outdoor education supervisor for the Eastman Nature Center in Maple Grove, mixes dandelion greens with clover leaves, wild grape leaves, and lettuce for a fresh spring salad (see recipes). According to Landstrom, May is the best month to forage for greens because the leaves are young and fresh. Later in the season, they develop a bitter taste.
The grand dame of Minnesota foraging is the morel mushroom. The morel has a wrinkly, intricate mien and is one of Minnesota’s most prized edible fungi. Morels usually appear in the first week of May and continue through the first week of June, when a slew of dedicated foragers head out in search of the ephemeral treasure. The folklore and intrigue that surround earthy, delicious morels make them the perfect focal point for a spring dinner party.
If you are a first-time morel hunter, be sure to tag along with someone who has experience identifying morels. You must have absolute confidence that a mushroom is, indeed, a morel, says Teresa Marrone, a veteran local forager and cookbook author. Many good foraging books can help you identify edible plants, but always use caution and consult with an expert before you eat anything.
“Morels are beautiful, bizarre, and wonderful to eat,” says Ron Spinosa, past president of the Minnesota Mycological Society. “They are much milder in taste than the ones in the supermarket. They have a delicate, exquisite flavor.” Spinosa’s favorite way to eat morels is sautéed in butter. “Butter really enhances the morel flavor,” he says. “You can also dust them in flour before you sauté them so they get a crispy edge. And they also taste fantastic sautéed in a cream sauce, as well as sautéed and then scrambled in eggs.” (Don’t eat morels raw because they can be slightly toxic, cautions Spinosa. Always sauté them thoroughly—on high heat for two minutes, then on medium to lower heat for an additional three to five minutes.)
The variety of morel recipes is endless. You can soak morels in wine sauce or serve them stuffed with garlic, spinach, and cream cheese. Add creamy Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Dandelion Greens (see recipes) on the side, along with a helping of fiddlehead gratin or grilled wild asparagus. Marrone encourages even novice foragers to hunt for asparagus because wild asparagus looks identical to cultivated asparagus; you won’t mistake it for anything verboten. Wild asparagus also tastes similar to the cultivated kind, she adds, but it has an almost impossible freshness that can’t be replicated in the store. Wash down your main course with homemade dandelion rosé wine (see recipes).
Foraging isn’t just rewarding when you sit down to dinner. The very experience of being out in the woods is reward itself. “Foraging is a kick,” says Marrone. “It takes you places. You can hear the birds sing and appreciate the diversity of an area. It’s so cool. I just love it.”
Morel of the Story
Foraging for morels, ramps, and tender early lettuces can connect you with nature and inspire your taste buds. Discover the region’s springtime bounty on one of these guided tours. ˚ Members of the Minnesota Mycological Society trek through the woods at least three times in May to find the grand dame of foraged feasts: the morel mushroom. New members are invited to join in; membership is just $15 and offers access to society events all year. Call 952-953-3342 for more information.
˚ Experienced forager Matthew Alfs leads a 3-hour wild plant foray each month from June to September, seeking out both medicinal and edible plants. Cost is $25. For more information, contact the Midwest School of Herbal Studies, 612-781-2038.
˚ Well-known forager and author Sam Thayer offers an intensive “Spring Foraging Weekend” in Blue Hills, Wisconsin, for $160, which includes cabin accommodations. Attendees will learn how to identify wild leeks, wild lettuces, morels, trout lilies, and many more interesting and tasty plants. For reservations, call 715-767-5826.
Kathryn West is a Minneapolis freelance writer.
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