You know that helpless feeling when you walk into a store, intent on buying an item, only to find out it costs more than you thought? I bet this must have occurred to you with morel mushrooms as well. So why is morel mushroom expensive?
Why is Morel Mushroom Expensive?
Hard cultivation: morel mushrooms thrive on decaying organic materials to sprout sclerotia, the vegetative part of morel mushrooms that houses its food stores.
What then makes the growth of morel mushrooms hard is getting dormant fetal morel in the sclerotium to sprout and fruit into a morel mushroom, a process that other mushroom types do not undergo.
Foraging complications: morel mushrooms are hollow in content but grow in mass quantities, which is why they have to be collected in large numbers to make a pound. Again, in some states, like California, permits to collect morel mushrooms are difficult, if possible, to obtain.
Furthermore, correctly predicting the time to collect morel mushrooms is another issue, as the weather and climate matter, not to mention finding the morel patches.
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What Is Morel Mushroom?
Morel mushrooms are a type of wild mushroom. It has an earthy, nutty flavour. They also have a meaty texture, unlike other types of mushrooms. Morel mushrooms vary greatly in both size and appearance.
The shapes of morel mushrooms range from oblong to bulbous, and their colour is from blonde to grey. Is that not an interesting mix?
Morel mushrooms resemble a honeycomb on the exterior and are white and hollow on the interior. Simply put, morel mushrooms are a unique type of mushroom and an exciting lot to work with in the kitchen!
Can You Eat A Morel Mushroom?
Absolutely! Morel mushrooms are one edible item you cannot ignore, and the exciting part is, that there are quite a number of cooking options to choose from when eating morel mushrooms, from sautéing to grilling and even roasting.
Morel mushrooms can be used in various meals, including pasta, risotto and soup, beef, and chicken. You can also use morel mushrooms as a topping for pizza, or in sauces, gravies, and marinades.
Morel mushrooms are totally edible and can be enjoyed with various dishes, promising an unforgettable culinary experience.
What Is Morel Good For?
The candid answer to this question is; morel mushrooms are good for a lot of reasons. Of course, it would be totally unwise to consume things that prove to be harmful to the overall health of individuals, so this article brings to your notice, the health benefits of morel mushrooms.
Morel mushrooms have been shown, both by extensive studies and personal experiences, to contain the ability to boost immunity. Among other things, morel mushrooms aid in quick digestion of meals and regulate blood sugar levels.
Having within its contents, a rich mix of minerals and vitamins, morel mushrooms have vitamins D, E, and B6, folate, zinc, calcium, iron, and thiamine, to mention but a few. Morel mushrooms have also been added to weight-loss diets for patients, as they are low in fat and calories.
Morel mushrooms, compared to other mushrooms, have a higher nutritional value. They possess more protein and fibre than button and portobello mushrooms. Morels contain a higher concentration of vitamin D than most other mushrooms.
Aside from the aforementioned, morel mushrooms have lots of antioxidants that hinder free radicals from hurting the body. Beta-glucans, which help boost the immune system and even prevent some types of cancer, are also found in morel mushrooms.
Morel mushrooms are naturally anti-inflammatory, so people with conditions like arthritis have no regrets about eating them. It therefore goes without argument that morel mushrooms are really beneficial to individuals.
How To Cook Morel Mushrooms
Morel mushrooms contain bacteria that can prove harmful to humans if not cleaned properly. So, the first thing to do is clean them with cold water and dry them quickly to ensure they do not soak up the water.
Next, slice your morel mushrooms, and you are ready to go! As a chef using the morel mushroom to cook for a crowd at events or in your own home, you can prepare a lot of meals with morel mushrooms; there is the wild mushroom sauce that is perfect for grilled meats.
You can also prepare your risotto dish with asparagus and morel mushrooms, as they would make a beautiful mix. You can even fry your morels!
Morel mushrooms would go well with dishes like morel risotto and grilled morel mushrooms. Morel mushrooms make for a rich addition to meals, based on their taste and nutritional impact.
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How To Find Morel Mushrooms
Self-foraging and store-buying are two options for getting morels. Morels grow in forest areas with moist soil and decaying matter. Self-foragers with allergies should wear gloves. Also, have a knife on you with which to cut the mushroom at its base, not pull it out of the ground, as this can damage future growth.
Unable to gather morels yourself? They can easily be found in speciality food stores, and although fresh morels are available for a season, dried morels can be found year-round.
Conclusion
In as much as morels are healthy, it is vital to select fresh ones, which are firm and blemish-free, having a pleasant earthy smell. However, if only dried morel mushrooms are available for purchase, then they must not be exposed to moisture, to avoid spoiling.