Wild Morel Mushroom Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much is a pound of wild morels worth? ›

On the West Coast, morel mushrooms are typically sold for around $20 to $30 per pound, depending on the quality and availability. In California, morels are often found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the coastal regions and are typically sold at farmers' markets and specialty food stores.

Use Cornstarch or Arrowroot

Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. Remember, a little goes a long way with these starches, so start with a small amount and add more if needed.

While a soak isn't necessary, it is a good way to clean morels and make sure that there's no dirt or bugs in any of the crevices. The best way to soak morels is to place them in a bowl of lightly salted water for about five minutes. Once the soak is done, be sure to thoroughly pat the morels dry.

What are some herbs and spices that can be used to enhance canned cream of mushroom soup? There are several herbs and spices that can enhance the flavor of canned cream of mushroom soup. Popular options include thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika.

Why are Morels so Expensive? Morels are not farmed. The complex, symbiotic relationship that the morel mycelium have with trees is difficult to replicate in an artificial environment.

Morels can be found in nearly every state, as long as the weather and environment are hospitable. The states with the most morels each spring are usually Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Vermont. Locations where there have been wildfire burns are often the best sites for finding morels.

Mushrooms are good source of B vitamins, including vitamin B12 (normally only found in animal products). They also contain minerals, including selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and manganese. Mushrooms can be a great source of vitamin D — but only if you let your mushrooms sunbathe!

Another reason that cream soups can become watery is that the vegetables or other ingredients in the soup continue to emit moisture through the cooking process. Mushrooms and potatoes are prime examples of vegetables that continue to “weep,” or lose moisture as they cook further, especially from a raw state.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Buying and cleaning morel mushrooms

Never eat raw or undercooked morels, and avoid eating them when consuming alcohol, as morels contain small amounts of hydrazine toxins. These are destroyed when cooked, but can still cause issues in people with a sensitivity to mushrooms.

Can you drink after eating morels? ›

Most people can safely eat properly cooked morels with alcohol without adverse reactions. Nearly all morel poisonings are related to personal sensitivities, or eating raw/undercooked morels.

Never eat any spoiled or bad smelling morels. This is more important late in the season. Usually if a morel looks or smells bad I just let it be. When I get home I always look mine over thoroughly and cut off any darkened pieces or parts with that rust colored rot starting to set in.

If your mushroom soup tastes bland, it could be due to several reasons: Quality of Mushrooms: Fresh, high-quality mushrooms, especially wild varieties, tend to have a more pronounced flavor. Older mushrooms or ones that aren't as fresh might lack flavor.

According to America's Test Kitchen (via Splendid Table), mushrooms only need five minutes of cooking in order to get tender. After that point, you can realistically remove them from the heat. If, however, you choose to continue cooking your mushrooms, or simply lose track of time, nothing much will happen.

Adding umami-rich ingredients like tomato paste or a parmesan rind to the soup will add a deep, rich savoriness and body to the soup.

What makes morels so special? I have to agree with Iron Chef Guarnaschelli: When it comes to mushrooms, I would place morels at the top of the heap. They are terrifically versatile, are wonderful on their own and add great depth of earthy flavor to any dish that includes them.

The entire fruiting body is a single hollow cavity. Verpa bohemica also contains the toxin gyromitrin. Should you be concerned about eating true morels? True morels are normally edible but if a large amount is eaten, or they are undercooked or eaten raw or eaten with alcoholic beverages, one may become ill.

1 OZ dried morels will become approximately 8 OZ. It depends on the moisture content of the morels and temperature.

With the cooperative weather conditions the morel can survive for up to two (2) weeks before the natural decay process is likely to set in and begin to take place. Again, the weather has so much do with the life cycle and most morel hunters will agree it is by far the most important factor.