This easy morel pasta capped off a beautiful day foraging in Grey County.
Sometimes I feel like the unofficial ambassador for Grey County. In Toronto most people flock to Prince Edward County on the weekends.
It’s only two hours away so many Torontonians keep a second home or retire there because it’s filled with great farmers, winemakers and producers.
The problem is everyone goes there.
But Grey County is also two hours, just in the opposite direction. And it has a much less touristy feel.
Yet most Torontonians only touch the border to visit Chef Michael Stadtlander’s Eigensinn Farm. Chef Stadtlander is amazing. But there’s so much more.
I shot this video a few years ago during a visit to Grey and neighbouring Bruce County.
So much to do!
So much that I’ve since been back for a Spring Escape in Grey County and to check out The Apple Pie Trail and a Fall Colours Road Trip.
I’ve been so vocal about Grey County that I convinced Charlene from Chew Street to go and she wrote a Feel Good Foodie Guide with all my favourite chefs and producers.
So when she told me she was going back up to go foraging in Grey County I invited myself along.
Peterson Field Guides
Foraged Flavor
North American Mushrooms
North East Foraging
We spent the afternoon foraging wild foods with Chef Zach Keeshig, a young chef with a keen interest in local food.
I was immediately struck by his candor and intense genuine spirit.
Under a strict vow of secrecy we wandered Chef Zach’s favourite spots in Grey County.
He was a man on a mission, prepared with a list of edible plants, flowers and the elusive morel mushroom that he hoped no one else had picked.
I have foraged for many things. But I had never found a morel mushroom, one of the most prized foraging finds.
What are morels?
Morels are one of the few wild mushrooms that grow in the spring time. While you can find many types of mushrooms foraging, these are one of the most valued mushrooms.
ALSO READ: A Beginner’s Guide to Foraging
The plant is actually underground and what we see and eat above ground is only a small part. This is why it’s so important to forage responsibly.
MOREL FORAGING RULE – When you forage morels use a knife to leave a healthy part of the stem. If there’s good rain the morel will grow back.
Morels are the kind of mushrooms that win over mushroom haters. They have an earthy, almost meat-like flavour.
They are not farmed, although many have unsuccessfully tried to grow them. So you’ll often find them from foragers and farmers at the market.
Most morels in Canada are dried then exported to other countries. If you find them they are best freshly picked although they may keep for up to a week.
MOREL SAFETY TIP – Like some wild foods (hello fiddleheads), morels have a slightly toxic element and cannot be eaten raw but are amazing cooked like in this morel pasta recipe.
When foraging for morels you need to follow the most important wild food rule: if you aren’t 100% sure, don’t eat it.
Many wild foods have “look a likes” and are poisonous. With so many amazing farmers’ markets selling wild foods it’s really not worth the risk.
Morels can be difficult to spot and most people tramp on them unknowingly.
You can see in the photo above they hide on the forest floor so you need a keen eye.
Fortunately Chef Zach knows the area well and can spot them quickly as we are looking for other wild foods.
But this is what I love about Grey County.
It’s all about earnest people doing amazing things. In the city morels are usually reserved for very expensive meals.
But Chef Zach isn’t serving his food on white linen in Grey County.
Last summer he ran a pop-up restaurant at the Grey County Farmer’s Market featuring a tasting menu combining what he foraged with local food from the market.
He returns to the market this summer. He has been contemplating running foraging walks, although he isn’t sure people are interested.
We assured him that city folk would flock to have the opportunity we had today. So please if you’re interested send him a note on his Instagram profile.
We returned back to Butchart Estate B&B in Owen Sound to drink local Coffin Ridge wine and Georgian Bay gin while Chef Zach cooked a meal including morel pasta.
After culinary school he spent some time cooking with the acclaimed Jonathan Gushue at Langdon Hall and Chef Michael Statlander, where he developed an interest in foraged food.
In addition to his formal cooking training he also spent time with a local mushroom forager and continues to learn as much as he can.
He has a young family and wants to stay in Grey County. He has big dreams to have a house in the country where he would grow his own food with a restaurant on site.
Clearly Chef Statlander has left a lasting impression.
Chef Zach Keeshig’s Morel Pasta Recipe
Chef Zach made this dish using local eggs from Dejong Acres (another amazing place to visit).
He made the pappardelle from scratch and we watched him roll it out.
For sake of making this an easy recipe we’ve included pre-made pasta.
If you’re using dried pasta use 85g per person, and 100g per person for fresh pasta.
Morel Mushroom Pasta
This fresh mushroom pasta is so decadent with morels you'd be surprised how easy it is.
Ingredients
- 400 grams fresh pappardelle
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 large shallots, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup dry white wine Sauvignon blanc and other high acid wines work well
- 1/2 cup 35% cream
- 8 oz foraged wild mustard garlic, chopped can substitute spinach
- 1/4 lbs Foraged morels and pheasant back mushrooms, cut into quarters or large pieces
- 3 duck egg yolks may substitute extra large chicken yolks
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil> Cook pasta according to "al dente" directions on the box.
- While pasta is cooking Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Once warmed add a tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Add shallots and garlic to saute them until soft and translucent. About 3-4 minutes.
- Add white wine to deglaze. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream and reduce by half over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon. About 10-15 minutes. Stir often.
- While cream sauce is reducing heat a second large saute pan over high heat and add vegetable - canola - oil until it smokes slightly. Add morels and pheasant back mushrooms and remaining 2 tbsp butter. Sauté until starting to colour. About 6-8 minutes. season with salt and pepper.
- Once sauce is reduced add mushrooms and pasta and toss gently. fold in egg yolks and stir slowly. The goal is to add a richness but not scramble in the sauce. taste for seasoning.
- Add the mustard garlic. Divide amongst four plates and garnish with a bit of mustard garlic .
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 451Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 217mgSodium: 531mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 20gNutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Pin it: Fresh Morel Mushroom Pasta
Disclosure: this is morel pasta recipe is a paid partnership with Grey County. However, as you know I basically invited myself along. I have such a special place in my heart for this region that has a wealth of amazing culinary opportunities that no one knows about. As I wrote this post I felt like I needed to share a larger downloadable guide so I could share all my favourites in one place.
If you love foraged recipes also check out:
Sprouted chickpea hummus with pine needle
Spruce tips vinegar
Maple blossom beignets
Beer battered fiddleheads
5 Ramp Recipes to Celebrate Spring
Foraging Books We Like
Peterson Field Guides
Foraged Flavor
North American Mushrooms
Foraging Sites We Found Useful
Foraging & Feasting on Facebook
Poisonous Plants of Canada
If you’re looking for good cookbooks for foraged ingredients also check out.
Acorns & Cattails: A Modern Foraging Cookbook of Forest, Farm & Field
The Field to Table Cookbook: Gardening, Foraging, Fishing, & Hunting
The New Wildcrafted Cuisine: Exploring the Exotic Gastronomy of Local Terroir
I love foraging, it looks like you had a great day. I had no idea you couldn’t eat morels raw, just by luck I’ve only cooked them! GG
Oh that pasta looks incredible and your pictures are yet another indicator that I need to come to Canada!!
Oh yum fabulous dish. So cool you foraged yoursefl and fouind morels, an amazing mushroom. At my cotage in Quebec I go for cepes and bolets.
If I would have one last dinner before an apocalypse that would be it! Got to go visit my own country a bit more! Also got to try to reproduce this dish… Hopefully I’ll find some fresh morilles! YUMMM!
This looks so good! I don’t think I’ve ever had morels before. I’d love to find someone who knows what they’re doing and go foraging with them, it would be so much fun!
I’ve just tasted morel mushrooms for the first time a couple of weeks ago made by another fellow blogger in a pasta dish. And I was amazed at their flavor! Love that you used pappardelle here, they go very well with this meaty mushroom. Your dish look fantastic!
What a great post, and a delicious dish! We have foraged for morels here in BC where there are lots of forest fires. Love, love, love them!
Foraging for Morels with my father is one of my favourite childhood memories. My mouth waters every time I see a recipe using them. I can’t wait to try your pasta dish recipe – it is lovely! I enjoyed reading about your foraging adventures, too.
I always keep an eye out for yummy edibles on my many hikes! Food you find/grow/raise is the best food, isn’t it?
This dish looks luxuriously rich in flavour ! Between the duck eggs and all the foraged mushrooms I am pretty envious right about now.
Looks like you had a good day foraging. What an enjoyable post; so informative. I’d love to learn more and go foraging for morels myself here in BC.
This looks so amazing! I love certain mushrooms (like shiitake, cremini/baby bella/button), though some freak me out (portobello). I’ve only tried morels once and wasn’t a fan, but I’d totally be willing to try them again. Especially in THIS dish. My Dad’s side of the family is crazy about morels. So I *should* give them another chance.