November 17, 2012
This recipe follows my tried and true formula of pick, mix, serve— start by picking seasonal ingredients at the peak of freshness and flavor. In this recipe, I chose chanterelles, and then simply mixed them with a few pantry staples to serve up a show-stopping side dish of fall flavors. Chanterelles are standouts in the mushroom world because of their distinct nutty, earthy taste. This dish almost always finds a place at my Thanksgiving table.
Chanterelles are golden, funnel-shaped mushrooms; look for the most tender ones. If they are hard and woody, chances are they’re going to taste that way, too. The farmers market is a great place to find them, and after our recent rain, the offerings at specialty grocery stores are pretty good right now.
They can be a bit challenging to clean; I use a damp dishtowel to wipe away any residual dirt. They have lines or membranes on the outside of the head or funnel, and those should stay intact. Slice them lengthwise so that you maintain the integrity of the shape.
The fresh, clean taste of parsley leaves is a great flavor companion to the earthiness of the chanterelles. The chanterelles can also be tossed into your favorite pasta with a bit of heavy cream added to transform it into a main course meal.
12 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of Kerrygold Irish butter
2 small shallots, fine dice
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon salt
A few grinds of pepper
2 tablespoons of sherry
1- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
On medium-high heat melt the butter and the oil in a large sauté skillet. When the butter sizzles and foams, add the shallots and garlic until the it perfumes your kitchen. Next add the sliced chanterelles and coat them with the mixture, sautéing for about five minutes until the juices of the chanterelles have been released. Then hit it with the salt, pepper and sherry. Cook until the liquids have evaporated. Scoop into a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
