Morel Mushrooms, Figs!

We made Asparagus with Morel Mushrooms. It is an extremely rich dish. What a combination. It is another one of our summer favorites. We follow the recipe for Sauted Fresh Morels from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters. Simply make and serve over the cooked asparagus.

For the main course we made Chicken With Figs. This is one of our favorite summer chicken dishes, we only make it when there are fresh figs at the market. The recipe is from The Zuni Café Cookbook. It is easy and very tasty. The dish is called. Chicken Braised with Figs, Honey & Vinegar. The name tells the story. You can get the recipe from out blog entry of June 23, 2008. To get the recipe click the link.

Sauted Fresh Morels

Chez Panisse Vegetables

Alice Waters

5 ounces morels

2 large shallots

1 small clove garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and pepper

Lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Clean the mushrooms with a brush or paring knife, removing any dirt or debris. If they appear to be sandy, wash briefly in water and drain. Depending on their size, halve or quarter the morels.

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a saute pan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over low heat for 2 or 3 minutes.s, until the shallots look translucent. Add the morels and about ½ cup water, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer about 4 minutes. Uncover, add the remaining butter, raise the heat slightly, and cook about 3 minutes more, until the morels are soft and tender and the liquid has almost completely evaporated.

Turn off the heat, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over the mush­rooms, adjust the seasoning, and toss in the chopped parsley. Serve im­mediately.

Pasta June 9, 2010