I just found a whole bunch of morel mushrooms

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

in my back yard. In Minneapolis. How weird is that? Anybody know how to cook them? Or should I just leave them there to breed more?

[dogman]

1. I don't eat them but my dad used to.

He fried them in butter. He soaked them good first because the bugs would get into the crevices. Make sure they are Morels however. i've heard that there is a similar looking mushroom that is not healthy to eat.

[Tektonik]

2. ^ What he said

First make sure they are morels indeed, then sautee em in butter. :9

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. They are definitely morels -- I looked them up.

There's no way I'd eat any other wild mushrooms. I guess I'll have to run out and buy some butter.

[notadmblnd]

6. Morels grow under oak trees. is that where you picked them?

We picked some last year and cooked them in a butter and garlic sauce over angelhair pasta.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. I just found out that they also grow near dead elm trees

and I had a dead elm taken out last year, but the stump, which is quite large, is still there. Maybe I'll have a permanent morel crop.

[Double T]

3. Are We Talking About A Bunch Of Fundies Or Potential Food???

I don't know how to cook either one of them; might try boiling them in oil. If they're fundies, make sure you don't let them breed, we don't need any more of them.

[MuseRider]

5. Soak them overnight

in salt water to get the bugs out. Rinse well, pat dry, slice in half and sautee in butter. They are very rich so don't eat too many. I love the things and look forward to them every year but I did not find a single one this year. :cry:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Thanks!

So far I've located eight large ones. I have no idea how they wound up growing in my yard (with some ferns, among last year's dead leaves), but it's been unusually cool and damp this spring, so maybe that got them going. I found a few a couple of years ago, but there are more this time, and they are larger. I'll have them for dinner tomorrow. Yum.

[MuseRider]

10. Under the dead leaves

and cool and damp. Before you soak them take them back out and shake them. I have no idea if that does anything but someone once told me to leave the bottoms in the ground and shake them so spores will settle back into the ground. Could just be old farmer stuff, I was raised hunting them in every peice of timber we could find. Enjoy them. A once a year treat and a special one.

[hlthe2b]

8. oh my... I had these as a child and still have incredible memories

of how they tasted and this has been decades!

LIGHTLY BREADED AND FRIED-- AS I RECALL. DELICIOUS.

Just be damned sure they are morels, as toxic shrooms can be deadly.

[gizmo1979]

11. Are those the magic kind

I had those once man what a pizza!

[mike_c]

12. google for lots of recipes....

I usually soak them for several hours to clean them, slice them, and saute with some shallots, garlic, reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, a little fresh thyme, and capers in a few tbsp olive oil until the vegetables are charred a little. Add a splash of white wine and chicken stock, scrape up any bits in the pan, and reduce on high heat for a few minutes, then season with salt, pepper, and chopped Italian parsley. Add a tbsp of cream if you like. Toss with penne pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. Oooh! Tasty!

I've harvested them, and they are now soaking in salted water. Will try something like the above (I have some fresh basil, garlic, butter, cappellini, olive oil, a few other things that might go well with them). And if they turn out to be toadstools I'll at least have had a good last meal....

[mtnester]

13. Can I have them?

Seriously, shake then with the BAREST amount of flour, cook them FAST in the BAREST amount of bacon fat and a touch of lemon juice.

Serve over some buttered toast....my god, heaven.

[EstimatedProphet]

14. Give them to me and I'll cook them

OK?

[Atlas Mugged]

15. Uh....you wouldn't be looking for a new best friend, by any chance???

I love Morels. Especially when they're fresh. And slug free.

[Blue Gardener]

16. Dunk them in an egg/milk mixture

Then roll them in crushed cracker crumbs and fry 'em up.

[Beausoir]

17. Close to how I do mine..

Soak them well.

Halve them.

Roll them in saltine crumbs. Fry in butter till brown and serve with wedges of lemon to squeeze over them.

I envy you.

[SmokingJacket]

18. or you can sell them on ebay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79631&item=4384428483&rd=1

I still can't get over what you can buy on that site...

[Blue in a Red State]

19. Yum!

Not so weird at all. I used to see quite a few morels in people's yards when I lived in Minneapolis. And actually I prefer them over truffles.