Showy pear blossoms aren’t the only harbingers of a Southern Oregon spring.
Deep in the forests’ dark corners, morels are pushing their way toward the light. If you know where to look and don’t mind braving poison oak, you could bring home a few of these distinctive mushrooms for your next culinary masterpiece. Or buy them from Talent mushroom-hunter Louis Jeandin at the Ashland and Medford sessions of the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market.
Morels don’t come cheap, but they can transform a simple meal into a decadent one. Last night, I sauteed morel slices in butter and olive oil, sprinkled them with sea salt and then folded them into a simple pilaf of cooked quinoa, green onions and parsley dressed with lemon juice. To accompany, I prepared breaded and pan-fried turkey cutlets with Dijon-maple pan sauce.
Jeandin sells a pint basket of morels for $5. To really enjoy your investment, slice large morels into just a few pieces and halve small ones. Mushrooms of this caliber should still look like mushrooms in the finished dish, he says.
The growers market meets from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesdays at the Ashland Armory, 1420 E. Main St. and Thursdays at the Medford Armory, 1701 S. Pacific Highway.
