There is one particular ingredient that truly corresponds with springtime. Morels! Foragers from all over wait for these extremely seasonal and elusive mushrooms to pop their caps up through the forest floor.
These umami-packed fungi will taste better than any button mushroom you’ve ever had.
Whether you hunt them yourself or you pay the hefty price, upwards of $50 per pound, they are a tasty and delicious treat. As with most mushrooms, they’re extremely versatile.
They are delicious when paired with just about anything, anytime of day. Their rich, meaty taste is satisfying when sautéed in butter, garlic and salt and pepper alone.
But from that point on, the possibilities are endless. Add to an omelet with asparagus and an aged jack cheese. Put them over a grilled steak, wild salmon, or any piece of sustainable meat for that matter.
Morels on a burger?
Sign me up.
These earthy beauties are only available for a short time, so take a friend and get out on the hunt.
Look for them at your local farmers market or perhaps you’ve got a connection to someone who is willing to do the work for you and you’re willing to pay the price. Either way, you win! Dried morels are also available year round in your favorite grocery store. Be sure to follow the package directions before use.
Here I decided to make use of my morels and my barbecue and come together on a grilled flatbread. You can also do this in your oven as you would any pizza.
You will need the following ingredients:
- 1 recipe for your favorite pizza dough
- 1 cup of olive oil and pastry brush
- 1/2 pound morel mushrooms, rinsed and sliced in half
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 large leek, rinsed and thinly sliced in whole rounds
- 8 oz. of goat cheese, softened at room temperature
In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté leeks until tender about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. of butter and sauté morels and garlic until tender about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare barbecue grill to medium high heat ending at approximately 400 degrees.
Arrange all your ingredients at grill side so they’re easily accessible.
Divide dough into four pieces.
Roll each piece out on floured surface to approximately 10 inches in diameter.
You want the crust to be thin. Using a sheet pan take rolled dough to grill.
Brush the top with olive oil and put the oiled side down on the grill. Immediately brush the now top side with olive oil.
Crust will char slightly, adjusting heat if necessary.
Grill approximately 3-4 minutes and flip.
Spread with softened goat cheese, morels and leeks, grilling additional 3-4 minutes on this side.
Remove from grill, drizzle with extra olive oil, cracked black pepper, slice and serve.
Mine was delicious served with a salad of arugula, apples and almonds.
Enjoy!