As Food52 gets older (and wiser), and our archive of recipes grows, we’re making the effort to revisit some gold recipes from our community. Today, meet a bright, buttery way to celebrate the first of spring produce.
Whether you fiercely forage acres of forests or simply survey the local farmers market, ’tis the season to hunt morels. For many, the nutty, earthy fungi are the first, fast-fleeting sign that spring has sprung.
When community member Waverly sees their perfectly imperfect honeycomb hats, she snaps them up.
“Although I choke when I see the price, morels are worth every penny,” she says.
Rather than dousing them in creamy sauces or batter (although both are roles where morels shine), Waverly sautés fresh, cleaned morels with butter, leeks, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Make sure to completely clean and dry your bounty before adding them to the pan. Their irregular grooves can grip grit.
What’s great about this dish is that the simple sauce doesn’t overpower morels’ delicate flavor, and works well with all sorts of dishes—omelets, pasta, steak, potatoes. But our favorite is this no-frills crostini with a swoosh of goat cheese. It commemorates spring as it should be: simple and fresh cooking at its finest.
| 1 | fresh baguette, sliced thin |
| 1 | splash extra-virgin olive oil |
| 3 | tablespoons butter |
| 6 | ounces fresh morels, cleaned and sliced lengthwise |
| 2 | teaspoons fresh thyme leaves |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste | |
| 3/4 | cup thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only |
| 1 | teaspoon fresh lemon juice |
| 2 | tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley |
| 1 | package of goat cheese, to taste |
| 1 | fresh baguette, sliced thin |
| 1 | splash extra-virgin olive oil |
| 3 | tablespoons butter |
| 6 | ounces fresh morels, cleaned and sliced lengthwise |
| 2 | teaspoons fresh thyme leaves |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste | |
| 3/4 | cup thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only |
| 1 | teaspoon fresh lemon juice |
| 2 | tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley |
| 1 | package of goat cheese, to taste |
What’s your favorite way to eat morels?
See what other Food52 readers are saying.