Morilles À La Crème Recipe

Clean and prepare morels

Inspect morels carefully for grit and insects. If very dirty, soak briefly (1–2 minutes) in cool salted water, swish gently, lift out and pat dry on paper towels. Trim off tough stems and slice large morels lengthwise into halves; leave small ones whole so pieces are roughly uniform in size.

Sweat shallot and garlic

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Sauté morels

Increase heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the prepared morels in a single layer (work in batches if needed to avoid steaming). Sauté 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the morels are golden at the edges and have released their liquid. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over mushrooms while they cook.

Deglaze the pan

Pour the white wine and optional vermouth into the hot pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the alcohol reduce for about 1–2 minutes until mostly evaporated.

Add stock and reduce

Add the tablespoon of stock and simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to concentrate flavor and integrate mushroom juices with the liquid.

Add cream and finish sauce

Reduce heat to low and stir in the 3 ounces of heavy cream. Simmer very gently (do not boil) for 3–5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in the extra tablespoon of cream to loosen it to your desired consistency.

Season and balance

Taste the sauce and season with the sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the teaspoon of lemon juice to brighten the flavors and stir to combine.

Finish with herbs

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Let the mushrooms rest in the sauce for 1–2 minutes to marry flavors.

Serve

Serve the morilles à la crème hot as a starter spooned onto toasted brioche or crostini, or as a sauce over roasted chicken, steak, or pasta. Garnish with a little extra parsley and an additional grind of black pepper if desired.