Chanterelles – the star in 5 easy dishes

by Flamingo

Chanterelle mushrooms are among my favorite autumn veggies and I use them every chance I get throughout the months of September and October. They are wild mushrooms, have a very subtle sweetness to them and their golden appearance makes any dish look very beautiful and inviting. Chanterelles are very healthy as well, possessing a rich amount of vitamins, iron and magnesium in their meaty texture.

Here are some autumn inspired dishes I usually prepare throughout the season, where chanterelles shine as a main ingredient:

1. Chanterelles omelet 

• 4 large eggs;
• 150g chanterelles;
• the white part of a leek;
• Parmesan; 
• olive oil; 
• a sprinkle of mixed herbs (oregano, basil, parsley);
• salt;
• pepper.

Wash and chop the chanterelles and the leek. Beat the eggs and add salt, pepper and herbs to the mixture. In a pan heat the olive oil and add the chopped leek and mushrooms. Let them simmer until the water is gone, stirring constantly. Add the eggs and put a lid on top of the pan for about 3-4 minutes. Flip the omelet on the other side, grate some Parmesan cheese on top and leave it to cook for another minute or so. Serve it warm with some tomato salad on the side. It’s a great way to start your Sunday!

2. Chanterelles and figs cheese puff tart

• 100g chanterelles mushrooms;
• 2 spring onions;
• 2 fresh figs;
• 250g Chevroux (or any other type of fresh goat cheese);
• 50g sour cream;
• 1 puff dough, ideally rectangle shaped;
• salt;
• chili flakes.

Get the puff dough out of the fridge and let it rest for a few minutes. Wash the mushrooms, and figs. Cut the chanterelles in big chunks, if they are small then leave them whole. Cut the spring onions lengthwise into 2-3 pieces. Also the figs are to be cut in quarters. Mix the fresh goat cheese with sour cream, until you get a creamy blend. Add the chili flakes and salt to this blend.

Unroll your pastry and turn the edges 1 cm towards the interior to create the aspect of a framed painting. Then fill the interior with the cheesy cream, be careful to even them out and leave no lumps. Then spread the mushrooms, spring onions, and figs on top of the filling. Bake it for 15-20 minutes. Make sure to read the instructions on the pastry’s pack. 

This cheese and chanterelles puff tart is a discovery I made the first autumn I moved to Switzerland and I assure you it won’t disappoint: delicious and super easy to make. 

3. Autumn soup

• 250 g chanterelles; 
• 1 small butternut squash; 
• 1 carrot;
• 1 parsnip;
• 1 red bell pepper;
• 1 leek;
• 1 big pear;
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes; 
• 2 garlic cloves;
• 1 chicken breast;
• 50 ml cream;
• olive oil;
• a sprinkle of smoked paprika; 
• salt;
• croutons.

Wash, peel and cut all of your veggies and fruit in big chunks. Don’t peel the squash and the pear, their skin is very nutritious. In a big oven friendly pot add all of your vegetables and fruit, sprinkle olive oil and smoked paprika on top and mix them all together. Add boiling water until it almost covers the content. Put the pot in the preheated oven, covered with a lid. Keep it there at 200 Celcius for about an hour and a half. In the meantime boil your chicken breast. After you make sure everything is well baked, add the chicken breast and some of its broth and then blend together. Bring it to a boil on the stove and add the cream and the salt. Serve the cream soup with crunchy croutons! 

This autumn soup turned out great, after I experimented mixing pumpkin and mushrooms together, all flavours went so well together. I highly recommend it for any cold autumn day.

4. Chanterelles pasta

• 250g chanterelles;
• 1 leek;
• 2 garlic cloves;
• 250g penne or fusilli pasta;
• half a can of finely chopped tomatoes and juice;
• mix of herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary);
• salt;
• pepper;
• olive oil;
• Parmesan cheese.

Wash and slice the mushrooms and leek. Chop the garlic into fine pieces. In a pan, sprinkle olive oil, add the leek and wait until it gets golden. Then add the chanterelles and put a lid on top of the pan. After a couple of minutes add the tomato sauce and the garlic and let it simmer in low heat. In the meantime, in a pot, boil some water, add some salt and olive oil and then your pasta. Leave it to boil according to the instructions on the packaging. Add the herbs, salt and pepper to your mushroom and tomato sauce. Add the boiled pasta on top and mix well. Grate some Parmesan cheese on top and you have a very simple pasta dish, very tasty and nutritious, in under 30 minutes preparation time. 

5. Turkey Stroganoff

• 300g sliced turkey breast;
• 250g chanterelles mushroom;
• 100g champignon mushrooms; 
• 1 white onion;
• 150 ml cream; 
• 50 ml yogurt; 
• lemon juice;
• olive oil;
• dill;
• salt;
• pepper.

Wash and slice the mushrooms into big chunks. Chop the onion into fine slices. Heat some olive oil into a deep pan and add the onions. Stir until they are golden, then add the sliced turkey breast. Stir for a couple of minutes and add the mushrooms. Put a lid on top of the pan and let everything cook for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Make sure the heat is low and that all the juices don’t dry up. Add the cream and yogurt, stir and add the rest of the herbs and spices. After 2 to 3 minutes sprinkle some lemon juice to your taste. 

Stroganoff is the first dish I ever prepared a very long time ago, that’s why I am very fond of it. It’s easy and so tasty, definitely an autumn dish. 

I wish all my readers a wonderful autumn and may you cook many delightful dishes! Full of chanterelles!

Pictures from Flamingo‘s archive.