NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/823575
MAY 2017 • NEBRASKAland 61 While most Nebraska public properties are not large enough for people to get lost, this certainly does happen in other states. Still, be careful not to lose track of time when out in the woods – getting turned around in the dark will ruin your day. Other essentials include a headlamp/ flashlight, small first-aid kit, extra food, extra sweater and matches. Storing and Prepping If I plan to cook the mushrooms the same day, I run water over them to get rid of as much sand/dirt and insects as possible. I may also cut bigger morels in half to make sure no ants or roly- polies are hiding inside. After rinsing the morels in water, I let them drip dry in a colander for about an hour or so before cooking. Allowing the mushrooms to dry will help give me a golden brown sear when I add them to a rip-roaring hot pan, which will bring out the mushroom's nuttiness. Wet mushrooms will just steam and boil in the pan, which doesn't help to develop their flavor. If you don't plan on eating the morels right away, they may be stored in the refrigerator for several days. I often don't wash morels at all before storage, unless they are noticeably dirty or covered with insects. Usually, I just brush them off with a paper towel. I also avoid soaking morels for long periods of time. This makes them soggy, which can speed up decomposition during storage. Much like storing green vegetables wet, excessive moisture invites rot. The drier mushrooms are, the longer they will keep. To store them in your refrigerator, place morels in a bowl and cover with a couple sheets of damp paper towels. I rewet the paper towel every morning after I get up, and depending on the humidity in your refrigerator, you may have to rewet the towel twice a day. I may also rearrange the morels in the bowl every couple days to keep them well ventilated and discard rotted ones. I've kept morels fresh this way for up to a week. To preserve mushrooms for long- term storage, Mark Davis has three methods: frozen breaded, frozen sautéed and dehydrated. Frozen breaded: Clean morels thoroughly then bread them in milk, egg wash and then cracker crumbs. Place them on wax paper on a cookie sheet and set in the freezer. Once frozen, store them in freezer bags and fry as needed. Consume breaded morels before 6 months, as mushrooms will lose their flavor beyond that period. To freeze sautéed morels, lightly sauté them in butter and freeze them in their own juice in sandwich-size Tupperware. When ready to eat, defrost in the microwave and throw them back into a hot pan to finish sautéing. Consume before the next season begins for best flavor. Lastly, according to Davis, drying is the best method for long-term storage From left, Jackie Freeman and Bekah Jessen, both of Bloomfield, and Tim Nissen from Hartington, stop to search for morels during a kayaking trip along the Missouri River last spring.