Common morel

Description:

• Cap: 4–8 cm tall, 4–8 cm wide, ball-, oval- or egg-shaped; ochre to brownish, with irregular holes. Hollow fruit body.
• Stem: More or less club-shaped, smooth or slightly wrinkly, whitish or slightly ochre.
• Flesh: Whitish to light ochre, brittle and thin. Extremely tasty mushroom.

Habitat: deciduous forests, meadows, parks, pastures, orchards, gardens, hillsides, clearings, sawdust or bark mulch

Occurrence: March–May

Use: The common morel is for true gourmets. The common morel is brittle when raw; it is recommended that they be steamed prior to preparation. This way the mushroom will get rid of the dirt accumulated in the cap, plus the body will become soft and cutting it will not cause it to fall apart, so that it can be stuffed. It is used in traditional mushroom-based dishes, as well as goulashes, scrambled eggs, soups or sauces. It is also a great ingredient in a variety of spreads, puddings and jellies. It is most widely used in French and Italian cuisine.

Country of origin: Czech Republic, Slovakia