1ozwild chervilparsley, or another mild herb, like chervil or cilantro
1stick unsalted butter at room temperature
¼teaspoonfresh ground black pepper
Tiny pinch of ground carawayfresh ground only, optional
½teaspoonsalt
1small clove garlic
A few gratings of fresh lemon zest and a dash of juice
Instructions
Cut the morels in half the long way, then swish in water and inspect for insects, baby snakes, or anything that isn’t mushroom.
Trim any small discolored bits of morel, if present.*see note.
Sweat the mushrooms with a pinch of salt and a spoonful of water, covered, until totally wilted and pliable, then remove to a towel to cool and drain.
finely chop the herb(s).
In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with the salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and caraway if using.
Work in the herb(s) and mash well, then slowly incorporate the butter, mashing it to a paste until incorporated.
Lay the morels out on a work surface and, preferably using a small off-set spatula, spread the inside of each with a generous amount of the garlic-herb butter and a good sprinkle of breadcrumbs.
Roll each morel up to look like a snail, secure each with a toothpick, and put in a baking dish. Place a small nugget of butter on top of each morel, dust with breadcrumbs, and bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until golden, sizzling, and aromatic.
Let the morels cool for a bit so you don’t burn your mouth. Serve with an aperitif, like a glass of champagne, to celebrate the hunt.
Video
Notes
How old are your morels?
If your large morels are discolored at all, look patchy, wilted, wet, or at all not perfect and pristine, dehydrate them and save this recipe for another time. Cooking past prime mushrooms is a great way to get sick.