Robbie Sigona’s Produce Tips: Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms

Chanterelle mushrooms are the most popular and best selling wild mushroom we carry and are fantastic with a number of dishes. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Produce Tips:

• Select mushrooms that are dry and fairly clean. Some Chanterelles can get quite wet while they grow, but you’ll lose all that moisture when you cook them. The first Chanterelles of the season are usually dry – a special bonus – so they let off less liquid (they have less water content) when cooked, making for a firmer texture and richer Chanterelle taste.

• Fresh Chanterelles should be bright and have a just-picked appearance. Older mushrooms get dark around the edges.

• Use a pastry brush to brush off any soil. You may also use a sponge that’s slightly wet, however you don’t want to get them too wet. If you do get Chanterelles that have been out in the rain, you can put them in the oven at 250F to slightly dry them out before they’re used for sautés.

Serving Suggestions:

• Chanterelles are great sautéed and added to pastas, rice or egg omelets, and they’re also perfect as a side to meat, fish or poultry.

• When sautéing, my Uncle Carmelo suggests using butter…it really adds to the flavor. He usually sautés Chanterelles alone or with a few sliced shallots…you don’t want to overpower the Chanterelle flavor.

• Quick Chanterelle Pasta Topping: After Chanterelles are sautéed and done, remove from skillet and set aside. To the skillet, add sherry or other fruity wine, and reduce by half. Reintroduce the Chanterelles and add a touch of cream for a great pasta topping.

• Click here for more chanterelle recipes

–

–

Robbie Sigona is our produce buyer. He works with local farmers and scours the market for the very best in fresh fruits and vegetables – some of you won’t find anywhere else.