Sautéed Chanterelles

Cookin’ the Market Chef Mario Hernandez offers this recipe from The Order of the Fat Tongue, a group of farmers, chefs, artists, and activists who care about food justice and the local food system. In Japan, where Hernandez grew up, someone with a “fat tongue” concerns himself with the quality of food.

7 medium-sized chanterelles or ½ pound, hand torn into uniform sizes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, crushed in their jackets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or a good quality extra-virgin olive oil to start,
and an additional 2 tablespoons for after the mushroom stock is removed
2 twigs thyme
1 small shallot, minced
Splash of lemon juice or vinegar
Parsley for garnish

If your locally foraged mushrooms were gathered in a rainy period, they can be full of rainwater and covered in mud, so cleaning and sautéing them can be tricky. Removing the mud with a brush or a paper towel will only frustrate you, so if your chanterelles are super dirty, clean with the spray nozzle on your kitchen sink or submerge briefly in a large bowl full of water, then rinse and dry with a lint-free dish towel.

Start by placing the crushed garlic cloves (leave them in their jackets so they don’t burn), kosher salt (to season and pull moisture from the garlic), and the extra virgin olive oil or butter in a cold sauté pan. (Choose a pan that’s large enough to hold all the mushrooms without crowding.) Heat slowly until you start to smell the garlic, then add the mushrooms. When the mushrooms have released a large quantity of liquid (about 3–5 minutes), remove them from the pan and set aside. Also, remove the garlic skins and discard. Turn up the heat and throw in a twig or two of thyme and some minced shallots, allowing the stock to reduce by half, then add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. Pour the mushroom stock into a bowl and set aside, then add more olive oil or butter to the sauté pan. Return the half-cooked mushrooms to the hot pan and cook until desired doneness. Serve hot, garnished with minced parsley and the reserved mushroom stock.