I have been as busy as bunnies (get it?)

Thanking my lucky stars lately since I now have a bit more work to keep my busy hands busy but this new bit of business has slowed up my blogging. If you are longing for my snark and sassiness then you will have to wait a bit longer because it seems like my backhanded verbosity is on hiatus. Laziness will have to suffice and with that you will have to accept that I will simply post a synopsis of pictures that would have been and could have been blog posts chock full of my witty repartee. Take this Molé Poblano for example - imagine what I could say about it.

Chocolatey, spicy goodness in an enchilada suiza cannot hardly get any better than this.

With more time I could go on and on about the sweet and succulent lamb chops dripping with the lamb unctuousness that only lamb can drip and with this extra time I could tease you with the curried lentils it is bathing in but lo I do not have even a spare second.

Morels, specifically, need more of my time and attention and should not be treated like latch key kids with parents too busy to care but sadly this is their fate and this is their life. Morel mushroom barley soup is, by far, the best mushroom barley soup that exists.

Steamy goodness with an earthy bite the delicate yet toothsome barley pearls give a good chew with the husky deliberateness of the morel mushroom. So with all my lagging and veiled bragging I did what I normally do - post pictures and write nonsense - so things are really not that different after all.

morel mushroom mousse in a puff pastry cup is the best

Morel mushroom season is here again at last and I am fortunate enough to be a contestant in the MarxFoods 3rd Annual Morel Mushroom Challenge. Without further ado here is my entry.

The recipe is easy:

Morel Mushroom Mousse

8-10 dried morel mushrooms

2 stalks of green onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 oz butter

1/2 cup champagne

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Reconstitute the dried mushrooms in the champagne. (reserve 2 mushrooms to slice and use as garnish) Saute mushrooms, onions and parsley in butter until soft. Add the champagne that mushrooms were reconstituted in and reduce until dry. Cool completely. In food processor, combine mushroom mixture, Parmesan cheese and salt until finely chopped. In a stand mixer whip the cream to stiff peaks then fold in the cooled mushroom mixture. Pipe mixture into tiny tart shells or onto crackers. Decorate with parsley leaf and discs of sauteed morel mushrooms. This mousse is equally good pipped onto some hot pasta for a new twist on the classic Alfredo.

Makes filling for one dozen 2-1/2 inch tarts, or tons of crackers or a few bowls of pasta.

Light, rich, flaky and delicious - so good with a nice cold glass of champagne but you could also enjoy these with a sparking cider or even a nice dry pale ale.

Wish me luck!

......and while my entry is morel mushroom mousse in a puff pastry cup I thought I would further entice you with the idea of having it in pasta.

Have you seen Migrating Feast?

Morel Mushrooms three ways

Spring is here and with it are things that only spring can bring. Straight forward simplicity, if morel mushrooms sauteed in butter are the be all end all then this sandwich is the top of the pops. Morel mushrooms sauteed in butter on a baguette from Balthazar Bakery would most certainly turn some heads.


Want to put a little more twist in your step? How about a nice crispy fried morel that was dipped in seasoned flour, then egg then seasoned cornmeal and cooked until golden served atop a bed of melted goat brie? Yup, thats right!



No, thats not enough? Then how about a souffle pancake with roasted orange peppers, spinach and morel mushrooms?


Spinach lightly sauteed with morel butter.


Fresh morels in butter.

Souffle Pancakes

3 egg whites
3 egg yolks
1/2 c flour
dash of salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 water (or less)


Beat the whites to form stiff peaks. Mix together egg yolks, flour, salt and pepper with water to form a stiff batter. Fold batter into whites incorporating completely. Spoon palm size dollops of batter onto hot pan and cover so cake can rise. Let cook two minutes on one side turn gently and cook 30 seconds on other side. Remove from heat and eat. (souffle pancakes are also great as a sweet treat with your favorite fruit compote)


The lightness of the souffle pancake, the earthiness of the spinach and morels played nicely with the sweetness of roasted orange peppers, this would have been even better with a nice crispy Pinot Grigio. Thanks to Justin at MarxFoods for hooking me up with such plump and wonderful fresh morel mushrooms. If you want to experience this delight you need to act fast the window of opportunity for fresh morel mushrooms is slowly drawing its blinds.