We found these gorgeous Chanterelle Mushrooms growing on our property. We usually forge them in other places but this year they popped up in our yard. It’s been extremely rainy in the North Georgia Mountains and all kinds of mushrooms are popping up everywhere! Check out this cute little grouping that popped up overnight next to our garden.
Back to the Chanterelles!
Chanterelles have great flavor and are super rich in nutrients like Vitamin D2. These wild edible mushrooms can be orange, yellow or whitish in color. They are meaty and are funnel shaped with a smooth too and forked gills underneath that run down the stalk. The species with a fruit aroma, reminiscent of apricots and can have a mild peppery taste.
I gathered enough to make something for dinner and decided on making a Spinach Wild Mushroom Quiche. I can do a good vegetarian dish for dinner but to make the man of the house happy I made him his own quiche with spicy sausage added in.
Wild Mushroom & Spinach Quiche
(Makes 2 Pies)
Ingredients:2 cups of chopped & cleaned chanterelles3/4 cup of sliced green onions 2 tablespoons of butter10 eggs 3/4 cup whole milk1 1/2 raw spinach 2 frozen pie crust2 cups of shredded cheese Salt & Pepper to taste*Optional sausage (browned & drained)
Directions •Preheat oven to 350 degrees•Cook empty pie crust for 6 minutes at 350 degrees to prep the crust. Bump up oven heat to 375 degrees when you take out the pure crust. •Sautéed mushrooms & green onions in butter in a sautéed pan and set aside. You’ll need spoon out the mushrooms & onions onto a plate once cooked. Chanterelles are 90% water so when you cool them the water releases. I also wait to salt & pepper them until after they have cooked.•Whisk the eggs together with milk in a large bowl making sure to whip them quickly for a few minutes to create a frothy mixture. •Add raw spinach to both pie crust once they have been taken out of the oven. Then add the mushroom mixture (and sausage if you are adding that or any other toppings in).•Divide egg mixture by pouring an equal amount over each pie. •Add a handful of shredded cheese on top sprinkling it evenly over the top.•Bake pies at 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Check the middle of pies to make sure the egg is done. You can do this with a fork or a toothpick. Put it back in the oven for a few minutes if the middle is still runny. Done!
Cleaning Chanterelles - These mushrooms are just hard to clean to be honest. My Chanterelles where pretty dirty from all the rain. I took each one and hand washed it with cool water then cut off the ends. I also soaked them twice in a bowl of cool water to help more of the dirt particles release from the underneath gills. I also used my Thieves Vegetables & Fruit spray to help clean them. It worked really well but it was all more work than I usually spend on something like that but a bounty of fresh forge chanterelles is worth it!