Plentiful chanterelles in my neck of the woods is a contradiction. What I
wouldn't give for fresh chanterelles again like I enjoyed in New England
years ago as a kid. They are incredibly rare, incredibly expensive here.

Sigh

Paul

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
.. .
> Chanterelles are plentiful here right now, so I bought a couple of
> pounds of Lithuanian chanterelles, mostly small, round-capped specimens.
>
> So, yesterday's dinner was tagliarelle ai gallinacci alla moda mia, i.e.
> with chanterelle cream sauce. The Cipriani (yes, that one) brand
> Tagliarelle appear to be a proprietary format. They are very similar to
> fettuccine, but are very thin and dense, so they take only three minutes
> to cook. It is egg pasta, with seven large eggs used per kilo (2.2
> pounds). The dough is kneaded, pressed and rolled out 30 times and then
> dried for at at least 12 hours. The result is very thin and dense pasta
> sold for an extortionate price (6.80 euros ($9.25) per 250 g (a bit over
> half a pound)). I have to say that the taste and texture, though very
> nice, is nothing really special; save your money, says I.
>
> Today's dinner was soupe aux girolles à ma façon.
>
> Tagliarelle ai gallinacci alla moda mia
> Tagliarelle with chanterelle cream sauce
>
> Tagliarelle
> 250 g (a bit over half pound) chanterelles
> 2 shallots, chopped
> 3 cloves fresh, still soft garlic, finely chopped
> clarified butter for frying
> salt and freshly-ground pepper
> some chives, chopped
>
> Clean the chaterelles with no water, of possible. (Mine were very
> clean, so it was easy). Chop the large one, leaving small ones whole.
> In a pan, fry onions in clarified butter until soft, add the
> chanterelles and cook over medium-high heat until the water they exude
> evaporates (my chanterelles contained very little water). Continue
> cooking over medium-low heat, adding the garlic half way through.
> Season with salt and pepper to taste. Towards the end of cooking, boil
> the pasta in plenty of salted water, drain and add to the sauce together
> with a couple tablespoons of pasta water. Toss well, sprinkle with
> chives and serve at once.
>
>
> Soupe aux girolles à ma façon
> Soup with chanterelles
>
> 2.5 l (2.5 quarts) mix of beef, chicken and mushroom stock, preferably
> all home-made, with mushroom stock predominating
> about 500 g (a bit over a pound) fresh chanterelles
> about 50 g (1.8 oz) pearl barley (large-sized)
> 4 smallish potatoes, diced
> salt and freshly-ground black pepper
> some chives, chopped
> optionally, sour cream
>
> If the stock mix is too concentrated, dilute with water, as the soup
> will get more concentrated mushroom taste from the chanterelles. Cook
> pearl barley in water until not quite ready, drain. Rinse the
> chanterelles briefly and chop the large ones. Heat the stock mixture
> and add the chanterelles, pearl barley, and potatoes. Simmer for about
> 15 minutes. Season to taste and serve, optionally putting a dollop of
> sour cream in each plate and sprinkling with chives.
>
> Victor