What is it?

A morel is a hollow, ace-of-spades-shaped mushroom, full of little pits and ridges. At its opening is a narrow, tube-like stem. The rains of early spring trigger the morel season, and by mid-May the mushrooms are in full flush.

These conical honeycombed mushrooms are treasured for their rich, intense flavor and are delicious when simply sautéed in butter. Enjoy them on their own, or top roasted or grilled meats and poultry with them.

Driedmorels have a nutty, buttery, and somewhat smoky flavor that goes beautifully with spring ingredients likeasparagusand spring onions (orramps, if you can find them). The hollow, honeycombed caps of wild morels can harbor sandy grit. With cultivated varieties this isn’t as much of a problem, but to be on the safe side, it’s a good idea to rinse dried morels with water before soaking them. Use this recipe todry the morels.

How to choose:

To select fresh morels, look for dry, unbroken specimens. Gray streaks in the pits usually mean mold is forming. The aroma should be of dead leaves and freshly turned soil. Any mushroom that smells dank or musty is past its prime.

How to prep:

Freshmorels are often home to little critters, so before cooking, cut them in half and examine their chambers, flicking out any unwanted guests. Unless they’re extremely dirty, don’t wash morels; just brush them off with a damp towel.

Driedmorels will reconstitute in about 45 minutes. Simply cover them in hot water (add a dash of cognac if you like) and give them a squeeze every few minutes to see how they’re doing. Drain, press out the excess liquid, and you’re all set. They’ll keep another day in the refrigerator once they’ve been brought back to life. The reconstituting liquid, whether hot water or a higher-octane water-and-cognac combo, gives you mushroom stock. Reduced and strained, you get a concentrated mushroomjus.

How to store:

Store fresh morels in a brown paper bag in the fridge and use them within a few days.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Bucatini with Peas, Wild Mushrooms, and Creamy Tarragon Sauce

  Morel mushrooms are a sure sign of spring. There’s no substitute for their nutty flavor and delicate, crisp texture. If you can’t find them fresh, look for dried morels.

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  Recipe

  Burrata with Morels and Fava Beans

  A superb first course for a spring dinner party, this recipe pairs two harbingers of the season, tender favas and earthy morels, with rich, creamy burrata cheese.

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  Recipe

  Herb-Roasted Rack of Pork with Morel Cream Sauce

  This roast gets much of its flavor from an aromatic paste of garlic, herbs, and fennel, so be sure to rub the meat with the paste a day ahead to…

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  Recipe

  Pea, Morel, and Fiddlehead Ragout

  This simple side dish is spring incarnate, featuring two favorites that are in season for only a few brief weeks in the spring: morel mushrooms and fiddlehead ferns.

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  Recipe

  Spring Risotto with Ramps, Asparagus, and Morels

  Ramps, or wild leeks, are one of the fleeting pleasures of early spring. Their pungent, almost spicy garlicky-onion flavor mellows a bit with cooking, and this creamy risotto is the…

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  Recipe

  Dried Morels

  To keep fresh morels for a day or two before drying, put them in a loosely closed paper bag in the refrigerator. This recipe can be easily adapted to work…