Are those the ones I saw on the Travel Channel's "Cash and Treasures" show (that are supposed to be really expensive)??
Probably, from what I hear they're selling for about $40-$60 per pound. No one around here that I know sells them though. They either eat them all up or give some to friends if they find more than they can eat before they spoil. Travis found about 3 pounds I'd guess, and a friend of his found another two, last night.
It's hard to believe that we ate about $100 worth of mushrooms for an appetizer last night. We were living like millionaires! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
My daughters boyfriend, Travis, who found those yesterday, cooked up about a third of those in the picture last night, saved about a third so I can go release some spores on our property out back (we'll fry them up soon), and brought the best of the bunch to his grandparents early this morning, who are now in their eighties and can't get out and get their own anymore.
Here's how he cooked them last night:
Travis cut the stems just above the dirt, then soaked them whole in a light salt water for about 15-20 minutes and then rinsed them a few times in fresh water to remove dirt and bugs.
Then he made a flour/salt/pepper mix and rolled the sliced lengthwise morels in it until they were coated well. Then he fried them in a cast iron skillet with olive oil. He let them sit on one side until medium golden brown, turned them, and removed them to a paper plate with a couple paper towels on it when it was medium golden brown on both sides.
I think that recipe can be improved by sautéing them with butter instead of oil and coating the shrooms with some mixed egg before rolling them in the flour. We might try that tonight...
A Note to West Coasters:
A friend that used to live in San Diego said they picked morels out there too. I lived in LA for a long time and never knew they grew in So Cal. but hey, as they say around here, "I wasn't really stupid back then. I was ignorant." <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Bill S.