How To Locate And Prepare Delicious White Chanterelles
Foraging for tasty wild edible mushrooms is one of the easiest ways to motivate yourself to go for a hike. Having a goal, such as finding edible mushrooms, can make walking around forests a lot more fun. Plus, learning how to find and identify wild mushrooms can become quite a fascinating and addicting hobby. For people who love cooking, the variety of wild mushrooms out there offer so many different flavors, textures, and appearances to play around with in the kitchen.
Northern California is home to a myriad of wild edible mushrooms. Included in this group is the White Chanterelle. This large Chanterelle is mostly white, though it exhibits a yellowish or orangish color in areas that have been bruised. You’ll find this type of wild edible mushroom in both the fall and winter.
White Chanterelles are more commonly found in old-growth forests. These mushrooms do have a fragrance that is often described as sweet. White Chanterelles are classified as mycorrhizal because that they have a symbiotic relationship with conifers.
White Chanterelles are great in hearty meat dishes and pasta sauces. In general, Chanterelles are known as some of the best-tasting mushrooms. White Chanterelles are at the top of the list for many experienced mushroom foragers because of their meaty texture and delicious flavor. These mushrooms are quite firm. They need to be cooked for a bit longer than many other types of wild edible mushrooms.
Before cooking up some White Chanterelles, make sure to run them under some water in order to brush off any dirt or debris in the folds. For extended use, they can be dried, cooked, or frozen. As far as mushrooms go, White Chanterelles actually keep quite well. Once you’ve collected and cleaned your White Chanterelles, it’s time to get cooking!
White Chanterelle Tagliatelle Recipe
Ingredients
• Tagliatelle pasta
• White Chanterelle
• 150 milliliters dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 shallotts
• 1 garlic clove
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley
• Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Boil the tagliatelle in a large saucepan. View cooking instructions on the back of the tagliatelle package.
2. Melt butter in a deep frying pan at medium heat. Sauté the chopped garlic and shallots for around 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the White Chanterelles to the frying pan. Season the mushrooms with salt and black pepper. Cook the White Chanterelles until they are golden brown.
4. Add the white wine and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the tagliatelle to the mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Sprinkle on some fresh parsley and serve the White Chanterelle tagliatelle.
This recipe is just one way to enjoy White Chanterelles. They go great in many different kinds of dishes. Whether you have a passion for foraging, cooking, or both, there are plenty of wild edible mushrooms in Northern California to explore. You’ll have to find out for yourself which ones you like the best!
Want to find your own? We have mushroom foraging classes all season in Marin, Sonoma, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.