Until a few years ago, I stayed away from dried mushrooms, especially dried wild mushrooms. There was a good reason for this: Dried wild mushrooms that are not carefully sourced or properly rotated can be dusty-tasting, chewy, gritty and outrageously overpriced.
But the best ones are remarkable for their aroma and depth of flavor, which is often superior to fresh wild mushrooms.
Recently I discovered dried chanterelles at the Savory Spice Shop, 1537 Platte St., that were extraordinarily clean, perfumed and pleasant in texture. It was love at first sniff: I stuck my nose in the jar and got a heady mixture of the chanterelle’s characteristic aromas — carrot, forest floor and roasting meat.
I loved to use dried mushrooms to add an umami note to vegetable stocks — without the savory flavor of dried porcinis or dried chanterelles. Most vegetable stocks are oversweet and flat-tasting. I also like to use dried mushrooms, especially dried chanterelles, to make a sauce for egg noodles.
This dried chanterelle sauce is made in a two-step process: First the mushrooms are rehydrated in hot water with a little bit of light soy sauce (the soy seasons the mushrooms, reinforces their umami flavor and gives the sauce a deeper, browner color); then the mushrooms and their soaking liquid are reduced in a pan sauce made of shallots, carrots, sherry, chicken stock and butter.
The dried chanterelle sauce is meant for pasta, but it’s just as good with a seared rib-eye or New York steak or a sautéed chicken breast.
Egg Noodles With Dried Chanterelles and Carrots
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 ounces dried chanterelles (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup young carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
½ cup Amontillado sherry
2 cups chicken stock
1 pound dried egg noodles or pappardelle
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Directions
Place the chanterelles in small bowl. Add very hot water to cover and mix in the soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until cool.
In a large high-sided sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over low-medium heat. Add the carrots and a pinch of salt and toss to coat with the butter. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallots and sweat 1 minute. Turn the heat to high and add the sherry. Cook until reduced by two-thirds. Add the chanterelles and their cooking liquid and the chicken stock and reduce until thickened (This step can be done up to an hour ahead of time.)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta. When the pasta is almost done, bring the chanterelle sauce to a boil and whisk in the remaining butter. Drain the pasta and add the pasta to the sauce, tossing well. Fold in the cheese and the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Divide among four warm bowls and serve immediately.
