Black Trumpet Mushroom

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Mushrooms are delicious, especially if you know how to make them the star of your meal. They’re also very healthy!

Although mushrooms have a unique flavor that not everyone likes, this is what makes them so special, especially if they’re black trumpets.

Black Trumpet Mushrooms: Many People’s Favorites

Foraging and wild mushrooms are not only fun to look at and find, but also a delicious addition to many dishes.

Veggies and fruits offer numerous different flavors, and it happens similarly with wild mushrooms.

There are many nuances, particularly because they’re seasonal. Therefore, you can find various kinds depending on the time of the year.

Also known as black chanterelles, black trumpet mushrooms are many people’s favorites due to their earthy, fungal, and rich flavor. Some compare its taste to truffles!

Location of Black Trumpets

In the United States, you can find black trumpet mushrooms on both the east and west coast. Europe and other areas of the world are also their home.

Depending on where you are, there may be different names for them. Here are some of my favorite ones:

• Black chanterelles
• Black trumpets
• Horn of plenty
• Trumpet of the dead (don’t be fooled, they’re not poisonous)

On the east coast of the United States, the black trumpets are called Craterellus Fallax. They produce a yellowish-orange spore sprint.

However, the black trumpets in the rest of the world produce a creamy or white spore sprint. Therefore, the ones on the US east coast are unique.

Visually, the black trumpet mushrooms look nearly identical, even if you’re looking at different species.

In addition, spotting black trumpet mushrooms is immensely challenging because of their color and wrinkly texture. They’re usually camouflaged with their environment.

Black trumpets are usually in different hardwood trees, but on the east coast of the US, you can frequently find them in beeches. Most of the time, you’ll spot them emerging from moss or leaf litter.

Buying Guide

Unfortunately, not all of us live near black trumpet mushrooms. Even so, you can still buy them in supermarkets.

However, they frequently have an expensive price tag. Therefore, when you’re picking your black trumpets, you should know what to buy. You don’t want to get old, dry mushrooms that aren’t worth the price.

Make Sure They’re Firm and Dry

The best black trumpet mushrooms will be firm, dry, and hold their characteristic ‘trumpet’ shape.

Sometimes, foragers will try to sell black trumpet mushrooms that they’ve frozen for a while. You should never buy these because the flavor won’t be the same.

Try to avoid soggy black trumpets. If you can’t, at least make sure you’re buying them at a discounted price.

Say Goodbye to Bad Odors

You should never buy black trumpet mushrooms that smell bad. If this is the case, they may be starting to rot.

Wild mushrooms have a rich, earthy odor, but their smell should never be off-putting or sour. When this occurs, the black trumpets may be too old.

Don’t Pick Clean Mushrooms

Wild mushrooms will probably have some dirt on them, and you’ll likely find a few bugs inside them as well.

I don’t like bugs. However, this is a good sign. If you find a few ones inside your black shrooms, it means they’re fresh.

Nonetheless, some black trumpet mushrooms are too dirty or almost entirely full of bugs. You should avoid buying these since it could mean they were picked too late.

How to Clean Them

As I mentioned above, dirty black trumpet mushrooms are the best alternative. However, they need a bit more attention than others because you have to remove all dirt before getting your large sauté pan on the stovetop and cooking them.

You can use two methods to clean black trumpet mushrooms:

1. Clean them with a dry brush and then with a damp towel
2. Quickly soak them in cold water

If you’re trying to take advantage of the mushroom flavor that these varieties offer, using a dry brush is the best idea. Otherwise, you may accidentally make them soggy.

The dry brush method is also very convenient to clean black trumpet mushrooms because it allows you to individually check each of them and look for hidden dirt.

Even so, you can also quickly soak them, take them out, and let them dry for a few hours, so that they lose any excess moisture.

What Do You Serve Them With?

Typically, the best black trumpet mushroom dishes are the ones that include mushrooms and some beef or chicken. Take a look at some of my favorite ideas:

• Mushroom soup with fresh thyme
• Olive oil black trumpet mushroom pasta
• Sauteed, hollandaise black trumpet mushroom sauce
• Black trumpet mushroom chicken pot pie
• Risotto with dried mushrooms
• Black trumpet mushroom omelet
• Umami seasoning with dried mushrooms
• Black trumpet mushroom gravy
• Dipping sauce (just add cream)

Cooking Tips for These Wild Mushrooms

There are many ways to cook black trumpet mushrooms. However, to choose the best recipe online, you have to know what you want your dish to taste like, and you must know how to use the ingredients properly.

Although there are numerous alternatives, if you don’t choose the right combinations, you won’t fully take advantage of your black trumpet mushrooms. Here are some tips to consider:

Be Careful with What You Serve Them With

Black trumpet mushrooms have a rich, earthy flavor. Nonetheless, it’s not very strong. Therefore, if you serve them with something too intense, their taste may get lost.

One of the best dishes to cook alongside black trumpet mushrooms is plain roasted chicken. You can add some olive oil, butter, and simple spices to the chicken, and serve dried black trumpets alongside it.

Thus, once you try it out, the flavor of the black trumpets won’t get lost. Cook them on medium heat, and if you want to go the extra mile, use the remaining butter to make some buttery bread.

You can find black trumpet mushrooms in oak trees, so their flavor is unique. Thus, making them the star of the dish is always the best idea.

Use Medium-high Heat

When you’re preparing your shrooms, be careful of how much time you leave them on your stovetop.

It’s similar to when you’re trying to rinse them with cold water – you don’t want to go too far. Instead, coarsely chop the shrooms, turn the stove on to medium-high heat, and cook them for a few minutes, so that you don’t burn them.

Recipes

Whether you prefer more salt, making a simple dish for dinner, using butter, or adding cream, there are many options to try out when it comes to cooking black trumpet mushrooms.

In fact, there are so many that I had a lot of trouble trying to choose the ones I liked the most.

However, I finally figured it out. I chose my favorite recipes. They may not be the best, but I’m sure they’re fantastic and quick to make. Check them out:

Black Trumpet Pasta

Who doesn’t love pasta? It takes less than an hour to make (unless you’re trying to make bolognese, in which case you’ll have to take a nap while it cooks), it’s delicious, and you can completely change its flavor depending on the sauce.

A variation of this recipe is to stop when you’re mixing the herbs and mushrooms. You can take them out and put them in a blender to make a dipping sauce!

If not, just continue cooking and make the pasta. Both are fantastic alternatives! If you have any remaining butter, putting it on bread, toasting it, and eating it alongside the rest of it is always a great way to accompany the dish.

Black Trumpet Tarragon Cream

These mushrooms will cook fast, and it’s one of their best aspects. Once you choose what you’ll cook, you won’t spend much time doing so. Then, all you need to do is keep them in a warm place and enjoy your meal!

This great recipe is a fantastic option if you prefer something slightly more exotic and with a bit of alcohol. Let’s take a look.

Ingredients

1. Mushrooms. This one’s obvious by now. You’ll need about three and a half pounds.
2. A clove of garlic
3. A tbsp of butter
4. Eight ounces of cream
5. 1/4 bunch tarragon
6. A shot of white wine, cognac, or brandy
7. 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
8. Salt to taste
9. Cracked black pepper

Preparation

1. After thoroughly cleaning the mushrooms, use a Microplane to chop all the ingredients because the mushrooms will cook fast
2. Heat the butter on the stove to medium-low heat, add the mushrooms, and season them with a bit of salt
3. Your mushrooms will be wilted after about 30 seconds, and once it happens, immediately turn your stove off. Add the tarragon and garlic and stir to prevent them from burning
4. Add the brandy (optional) and the cream after 30 more seconds, turn the heat back to medium, and continue to cook for two or three more minutes until it has a sauce consistency
5. Finish it with some salt, pepper, and sherry vinegar to taste
6. Serve over a cheesy omelet, roasted chicken, or a delicious steak, and enjoy!

Squash Soup with Black Trumpets

I can’t have enough mushrooms. Seriously. Here’s another great recipe that I love. This one takes a bit longer to cook, but believe me, it’s worth it. Take a look.

Ingredients

1. Four ounces of mushrooms, clean and halved
2. One large buttercup squash
3. Four tbsp of butter
4. One garlic clove
5. Two leeks, white part only, well-cleaned and chopped
6. One small jalapeno, diced (optional)
7. Coarse sea salt
8. Four cups of stock
9. One tbsp of cumin
10. 1/2 cup of light cream
11. Ground white pepper

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees, cut your squash in half, and take the seeds out (you can do this with a spoon and it’ll work well)
2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, place the squash halves with the cut side down and bake them until fully caramelized. It’ll take about an hour
3. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a small pan until they’re brown and start to pop. Then, set them aside
4. Use a heavy soup pot to melt the butter, add the garlic, leeks, and jalapeno (optional), and stir until the ingredients are soft but not brown. It’ll take between 10 and 15 minutes
5. Add stock and bring the mix to a simmer. Then, incorporate the cumin, salt, and pepper to taste, scrape some flesh from the squash and add it as well
6. Carefully transfer the mix to a blender and puree it until it’s smooth. Return it to the pot and stir until it has a creamy consistency. You can season with more pepper and salt if needed
7. In a large pan, saute the mushrooms with butter, and stir until they’re tender
8. To serve, divide the mushrooms, ladle soup over them, and sprinkle pumpkin seeds at the end

More Mushroom Recipe Ideas

• crockpot cream of mushroom chicken recipe
• black trumpet mushroom recipe

What’s Next

Mushrooms are delicious, and they’re a fantastic, healthy addition to any meal. They can be the star of the dish you make, especially if they’re black trumpets. Try the recipes at home and be amazed!