Thinking ahead to late summer...

  

 Corn and Chanterelles are ready at the same time of the year here in NY.  The eating season for each of these foodstuffs is far, far too short in my opinion.  Luckily both of these can be prepared and frozen when in abundance. Merry them at a later time in this Corn and Chanterlle soup to heat up a cold fall day. Pending on how much of each flavor you think should domimate the soup, use whatever proportions you wish

Puree frozen corn, braised chanterelles in a blender with some cream and a pat of butter.

I serve them with a cornmeal breadstick and herbs.

Simple Ricotta Gnocci... to go with ALL mushrooms.

Really light and flavorful Gnocci should become a staple at home after giving it a go a few times!

1 1/2 c. ricotta (13 oz.) well drained!                                

2 egg yolk

1 1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. finely grated parmessan 

   (using a microplane)

3/4 c. flour

Getting the texture of the dough right is a matter of feel and experince. You are trying to get the least amount of flour, and most amount of cheese... That sometimes makes a soft and sticky dough. Just use more when you are rolling them out.

Combine cheeses, salt, and yolks in a food processor. Add flour, and pulse until just combined. Turn out dough onto a floured surface. It will be really sticky, so flour your hands and gently work into a smooth ball. Refrigerate for and hour.

Using as much flour as you think necessary, roll the dough out into several ropes about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into inch and a half segments and smooth out with a Gnocci paddle if you wish. Place on floured sheet pan. Can be refrigerated over night at this point.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, and working in batches, drop about 15-20 in at a time. Give the pot a gentle stir, and after 2 mintues, or when they float to the surface, skim out with a Chinese Bamboo skimmer

Add to a pan of melted butter, and gently warm.

'Open-Face' Shitake and Chicken steamed Dumplings

30 Wonton dumplings preferable round, if square cut into rounds.

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs roughly chopped

1lb  sliced shitakes

3 Tb. soy sauce

2Tb. grated ginger

4 Tb. sliced scallion

Lemongrass if available

Eggwash

Dipping Sauce;

Chinese black vinegar

Soy sauce and rice vinegar

Saute Shitakes with canola oil until soft, add soy sauce and reduce until dry. In a food processor, place chicken, mushrooms, ginger, and scallion, and pulse until a coarse mixture is formed.

Lay out wontons, and working in small batches brush with egg wash. Lay a small amount of chicken mixture in center, and using your thumb and forefinger (as if you are making the 'okay' symbol) shape the wontons sealing the edges well. Place on a lightly floured sheet pan.

These can be frozen at this point.

Line a bamboo steamer basket with Napa cabbage, and steam dumpling for 5 mintues, longer if frozen.

Forrest Floor in Spain

At Arzak in Spain, this whimsical dish was a portrait in nature well executed. It was indeed entitled 'Forrest Floor' and arrived on my wife's side of the tasting menu, so with a wandering fork, I tried to dissect what I could before she finished. The 'floor' is made out of a hazelnut and breadcrumb new technique often labeled 'dirt' in the culinary world. The mushrooms were roasted, and a few were pickled.  On top lay a few herbs to simulate carefully what plants may be there, the fennel sitting in for a fern....  And the most interesting part of this dish were the dried oak leaves on the side sitting upon a spicy mayonnaise. They were dehydrated and well salted... and though the menu listed them as oak leaves, I cant help but think they may have been another type of vegetation.

Classic Morels and Peas

     Pommy inspects the day's collection and comes up with a tried and true way to prepare the morels. Morels and peas, or pictured in the box the more seasonal yet overwhelming ramps are a great spring opener. They can be prepared as a side dish, or poured over a roast chicken for simple elegance.
         Yes!, those yellow morels are half the size of our cat, and should be used for stuffing...

Using a medium sized pot with a lid, add 2  finely diced shallots, and 3 TB butter, and sweat until soft.

Continuing with low heat, add two cups cleaned morels, season, and cook covered for 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup cream and cook very gently another 15 mintues.

Adjust for salt and pepper, and toss in cooked peas and tarragon.

Our traditional Easter Egg bowls are out, and filled with
more than candy this time. 

Mushroom Gelee

   Mushroom Gelee with Smoked trout, Sabayon

    1. Make a mushroom consume' with black trumpets and portobello. Balance with some balsamic vinegar and set with gelatine in small bowls.

   2. Top with a luke warm piece of smoked trout, chub...

   3. Sauce with a sabayon maybe with a few threads of saffron.

   4. Finish with garlic chives.

Mushroom 'Meatballs'

Steamed Hoisin Buns with pickled Vegetables

Steamed Buns with room temp fixins.

    

 This is a do ahead type of snack or lunch, that can be assembled like a regular sandwich.  A Chinese bun is steamed, and it in go mushrooms mixed with hoisin paste, some picked vegetables and cilantro.

     The buns can be frozen, the vegetables picked, and the mushrooms will last a week in the fridge.
   

To the right, you will see all the ingredients necessary for the picked vegetables.   A mandoline is not needed but makes swift work of the root vegetables.

1. Pickle Vegetables. Juilienne carrots, daikon, golden beet, parsnips....
Place in a small saucepan and add enough rice wine vinegar to cover.
Add salt (ample amount) and bring to a boil. Drain vegetables, saving the cooking liquid. Add large slices of ginger, and hot pepper to the liquid, and when cool, return vegetables.  Refrigerate for weeks.


2. Make mushrooms. Saute assortment of mushrooms and chop finely like for duxelles. Mix with hoisin paste. Refrigerate up to a week.

3. Steam chinese buns for 2 mintues. Add mushrooms, some vegetables, and a couple sprigs of cilantro.

Theese buns can be found frozen in Chinatown.

Tea Smoked Mushrooms

Tea Smoked Oyster mushrooms (good for steaks)

½ C. Lapsang Souchong tea.

1 Lb. Oyster or other cultivated mushrooms.

2 Tb butter

1 tsp. chopped tarragon.

Steamer basket or tin foil

     In a small or medium saucepan with lid, add the tea and gently heat until slightly smoking. Place the Oyster mushrooms in a steamer basket and lower into pot and cover. If using tin foil, cut out a round piece roughly the size of the pot and poke some holes in it.  Place mushrooms evenly on top, then cover.  Gently smoke the mushrooms for 10 minutes. 

    At this point the mushrooms are ready to be cooked, as they should not have fully cooked during the smoking. Heat a sauté pan on high, add the butter and add the mushrooms immediately. Do not stir. Let brown on bottom, then season with salt and pepper and toss to finish cooking all sides. Add the tarragon and cook for one minute.