WHAT ARE MORELS FOOD RECIPES

Steps:

• Remove the morels from the soaking liquid with a slotted spoon. Squeeze as much excess water out of the soaked morels as possible, then strain the soaking liquid through a sieve lined with kitchen paper. Reserve 100ml of the liquid for the recipe (save the rest for stocks and soup). Wash the morels in plenty of water to remove any grit. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the morels again. Chop any large morels in half and reserve.
• Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, melt the butter over a medium heat until foaming. Add the chicken and colour lightly for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and put to one side.
• In the butter that’s left in the pan, cook the soaked, cleaned morels and button mushrooms for 1-2 minutes to soften, then season with a pinch of salt. Add the boiled wine, reserved 100ml morel liquid and the double cream. Bring to the boil, then return the chicken breasts to the pan, coating them in the cream. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 6 minutes or so until the chicken is just cooked through.
• While the chicken breasts are cooking, bring 200ml water, a pinch of salt and the 15g butter to the boil in a saucepan, add the chopped leeks, cover with a lid and cook on full boil for 5-10 minutes until tender and buttery.
• Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and keep warm, loosely wrapped in foil. Turn up the heat and reduce the sauce on full boil for 7 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• With a slotted spoon, lift the leeks from their juices and mix in with the reduced morel sauce. Return the chicken breasts to the sauce to reheat for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.
• Bring the pan to the table and serve the chicken breasts with the leeks, generously spooning over the creamy morel sauce. Bon appétit!

Steps:

• Place the dried morels in a bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Set aside for 30 minutes. Scoop the morels from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. You should have 2 cups; if not, add water to make 2 cups. Drain the morels and rinse once more. If some of the mushrooms are large, cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Pour the mushroom liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel, discarding the gritty solids. Set the mushrooms and the liquid aside separately.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard the stems of the porcini and rub any dirt off the caps with a damp paper towel. Dont rinse them! Slice thickly and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the morels and porcini and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of the chicken stock mixture to the rice plus the saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more of the stock mixture. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not at all dry. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in bowls with extra cheese.