CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS, CANTHARELLUS CIBARIUSChanterelles have a meaty texture, with a mildly peppery taste and smell a little of apricots or peaches when freshly gathered. They grow under not on trees so if you go foraging for chanterelles (and they are well worth the effort) remember this point as they resemble other fungi which are poisonous. This is true of the False Chanterelle (Hygrophropsis arantiaca) which has orange gills and a darker cap than a true chanterelle. The Latin name Cantharellus comes from the Greek kανθαρέλλος which means cup or drinking vessel, given to it because of the shape of the chanterelles’ cap.
Chanterelles grow in many parts of the world, although there are variants. It is the state mushroom of  |
| Golden Pacific chanterelles |
They are one of the more expensive mushrooms, but are not anywhere near as expensive as truffles. Our ancestors would certainly have eaten them and they would have been gathered by peasants throughout history, with these and truffles, peasant food wasn’t too bad, although of course such food is seasonal with chanterelles being found mainly in the spring and autumn or in the rainy seasons. Traditionally mushrooms particularly chanterelles have been assumed to be aphrodisiacs, with the 11th century Normans Britain
Chanterelles have an affinity with certain trees and particularly birch, beech, oak, and pine in descending order, as they seem to like birch trees best, but they also seem to quite like larch and sweet chestnut trees too. They grow in soil which is damp, but not swampy or marshy ground.
If you go picking them, make sure that you wash them thoroughly and clean the gills. This is best done with a soft toothbrush.
They are great added to soups and stews and go well with eggs, but can be used to accompany any meat dish. Treat them as you would any other mushroom as far as cooking goes. Personally I love them and am always happy when I find them either in woods or on a supermarket shelf.
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| False chanterelles- poisonous! |
Like other mushrooms they contain vitamins A and D as well as some of the B-complex ones. They contain all the essential amino acids and glutamic acid is believed to boost the immune system and may help fight cancer, infections and rheumatoid arthritis. There is evidence that it inhibits blood clotting, which is valuable in the fight against heart disease. As for minerals, they contain potassium which regulates blood pressure and the contractions of the heart muscle; copper, manganese, magnesium, calcium, zinc and selenium which is good for the mood and the brain. It’s not so long ago that people used to think that there was little nutritional value in a mushroom; they thought they mainly consisted of water. (The same was true for lettuce.) They also contain fibre in the form of cellulose, which helps with the disposal of wastes from the body and so helps to prevent constipation and piles.
Try this simple recipe, or use your chanterelles as a stuffing for crêpes or a topping for a homemade pizza. You can use this as a side dish or with pasta.
SIMPLE CHANTERELLES
IngredientsChanterelles, cleaned thoroughly and chopped
50 gr butter
3 tbsps olive oil
3 or 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, finely sliced
a few sprigs curly-leaves parsley, shredded
freshly ground black pepper
salt if necessary to taste
a little brandy
¼ pt natural yoghurt or fresh single cream
Method
Heat the oil and butter in a pan and add the onion and garlic and fry until the onions are translucent, stirring so that they don’t burn.
Add the chanterelles and fry for 5 mins, stirring so that they don’t burn.
Add the brandy if using and the parsley and cook for two or three minutes, stirring.
Now add the yoghurt or cream, stirring and the black pepper, and bring to just under boiling point.
Remove from the heat and serve as a side dish or as a sauce for pasta.
This has Taste and is a Treat.
Excellent info. I found a bunch of these and have them in a paper bag in the fridge and will cook them tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteIf you gather these in the prime months but feel you would like to have them at a later time in the year after the freeze just stick them in the dehydrator and vacuum seal them use them with fried steak in soups and even in a pot of beans there great in almost any thing.
ReplyDeleteDan R. 10/20/2013 In my opinion they are the best. I have picked them for over 40 years. This year is a good one. My first picking is a five gallon bucket in about 1 hr.
ReplyDeleteI canned chanterelles for the first time this year. Worked beautifully. I also canned the left ever broth and it makes a wonderful, rich and healthy hot drink on cold winter mornings
ReplyDeleteOther than trutovik, many people also confuse Cap with chaga. Cap is a zero nutrient substance that sits on birch trees and it’s composed of wood only; it’s not a mushroom. Since these two things look almost similar to chaga, many deceitful chaga mushroom suppliers will try to sell you the substances pretending that it’s the real chaga. To ensure that you are not ripped off, you should do your research and identify reputable sellers before you buy chaga mushrooms.
ReplyDeleteWe have been finding quite a bunch this year. Have gone out now maybe 6 times and each time come back with several pounds in under an hour. I love them, they are beautiful and have a distinctly floral smell and great flavor..
ReplyDeleteWill be adding sheep's milk yogurt though cow's butter (no lactose). Will be serving with grilled halibut. Tried them with brown rice flour & coconut milk cream sauce with good success although rice flour is hard to keep from browning too much. We'll see how it goes.
ReplyDelete