On Saturday I went to the Duncan Farmers Market with $20 and came home with this:
That’s $10 worth of fresh, locally-grown veggies and $10 worth of wild chanterelle mushrooms. Yes, a bit of a splurge at a dollar per ounce for the mushrooms, but when you get an entire tree of brussels sprouts for $2.50, you can be spendy in other categories! (The brussels sprouts have already gone into this pasta with bacon and feta and will undoubtedly be skillet roasted as well.)
This weekend we experienced our first major wind-and-rain storm of the season, with torrential rain and hurricane-force wind. On Sunday I made a giant batch of chicken stock and turned some of it, along with the chanterelle mushrooms, into a comforting mushroom risotto – just the thing to combat the terrible weather outside. I planned on having the full recipe to post here – mushroom risotto is one of my very favorite comfort foods and I can’t believe I haven’t already posted a recipe – but minutes before the risotto was finished cooking, we lost power due to the storm. Which meant no more light for pictures and no more heat for cooking! Luckily I have already documented my risotto recipe, and the steps to turn it into a mushroom risotto are simple:
1) Instead of roasting tomatoes, sauté over medium heat about 10 oz (or more!) chanterelle (or other) mushrooms plus a clove of minced garlic in some butter and olive oil until golden brown (I found the chanterelles released a LOT of water, so turn up the heat and let it cook off, then continue to sauté). Season with salt and pepper and set the mushrooms aside.
2) Make the risotto as directed, but omit the roasted tomatoes, basil and lemon zest at the end. Instead, stir in the sautéed mushrooms (save a few for garnish) along with the butter, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.
3) Garnish with the reserved sautéed mushrooms and serve with extra parmesan. Candles and darkness optional. 😉
I think I need to make that risotto for Mare. We’ve got enough chantarelles sitting in the fridge waiting for something. And that pasta? Shut the front door I am getting myself brussels today. Maybe they’ll be in my CSA box today! Otherwise I’m going on a farmstand tour until I find them.
Yeah that pasta was rad!
Mmm, I love love love chanterelles! Looks so lovely in the risotto as well. I’ve been wanting to go chanterelle picking in the forest some time, that would for sure bring down the dollar price 🙂
Yeah, would it ever! I would love to go mushroom picking myself but I also don’t want to end up dead… I think I need to find a course or something!
http://www.amazon.ca/All-That-Rain-Promises-More/dp/0898153883
This book is how we learned! Its terrific!
Awesome, I will check it out! Thanks Kate!
How amazing to get so many fresh vegetables for so little! And a TREE of brussel sprouts!
I am making chanterelle risotto today. 🙂 Found them on sale at the farmers market. Your risotto looks super delicious! When I was a little girl I used to go pick them with my grandpa. We used to bring bags of them back home, together with oyster mushrooms. For me chanterelle top them all.
Yum, I saw a picture of your risotto on Facebook! I used to go mushroom picking with my grandma but I don’t remember how to identify the tasty from the deadly… But you’re right, chanterelles are amazing!