4-6ouncesfresh morel mushroomsdepending on how many you have
½cupheavy whipping cream
¼cupchicken stockpreferably homemade
3tablespoonsa good splash of dry sherry
1tablespoonshallotdiced ¼ inch
Kosher saltto taste
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
Fresh water cress dress with lemon and oilto serve, optional
Instructions
Buns
Preheat the oven to 250F. Make a cut in the top of each bun with a knife and cut a square out. Remove the lid, trim off the excess, and gently hollow out the middle of each by flaking with a fork. Don't go down too far since you don't want holes in the buns.
Put the buns on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. You don't want them crunchy. The outside should be crisp, but they should still be a little tender. This can be done ahead of time up to a few hours.
Mushrooms
Look over the mushrooms and cut off any bad spots. Quickly wash the mushrooms by rinsing under cool water. If your mushrooms are large, cut them into 1 inch rounds. If they're large, you can cut them in half lengthwise and inspect for insects.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in an 8 inch saute pan. Add the morels and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until morels and shallots are just starting to brown lightly.
Season the mixture to taste with salt, deglaze the pan with the sherry, and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce the mixture by half again, until only about 4 tablespoons remain.
Serving
Add the cream, and reduce again until the mixture is nice and thick like a good cream sauce. Double check the seasoning for salt and pepper.
With a slotted spoon, divide the morels evenly between the buns, then finish by spooning the sauce into each bun. Allow the buns to sit and absorb the sauce for a minute or two before serving.
Put the lids back on the buns then arrange on a platter, with the watercress salad in the middle if using, and some napkins. Allow the guests to serve themselves.
Notes
Variations
You can serve mushrooms with toast points instead of in buns.