Mushroom season is in full swing: what can you cook with chanterelles and lobster mushrooms?

Two of the most popular mushrooms found in Québec (and Canada) are currently in season: the chanterelle and the lobster mushroom, or crab mushroom. So we thought we'd put together a little list of our favorite recipe ideas using chanterelles and lobster mushrooms. But first, let’s make introductions!

Chanterelle, favorite of chefs

Perky, orange, shapely, the chanterelle has everything to please the eyes. But it doesn't stop there, because its fruity apricot taste and buttery flavor continue to delight chefs, season after season. We understand why!

Lobster mushroom, a mushroom that doesn't exist?

You could say that the lobster mushroom does not exist. Indeed, from a botanical point of view, it is only a russula which is afflicted with a sort of "skin disease", dermatosis. This is what gives it its bright orange color and its excellent edible quality. Its white flesh is very firm and its smell has a delicate iodized aspect which can remind you of seafood or seaweed.

What's for dinner?

1. Creamy pasta with goat cheese and chanterelles

Simply make a béchamel to which you add goat cheese (the variety that crumbles, not the buchette with a crust) to have a decadent and creamy sauce with an irresistible cheese taste. Then, fry the chanterelles in a little butter while the pasta cooks. Finally, mix everything in a large bowl with a little pasta water so that the sauce sticks well.

2. A vegetarian “seafood” chowder with lobster mushrooms and corn

If you want to make a seafood chowder without the seafood, lobster mushroom is perfect! Replace fish stock or clam juice with a broth made from dehydrated lobster mushrooms and add lobster mushroom meat as a substitute for seafood. In combination with corn, which is in season at the same time as the crab mushroom, you have a great meal guaranteed!

3. Cornbread with lobster mushrooms

To continue with the corn-lobster mushroom pairing, which is excellent, we offer you a cornbread with lobster mushrooms. You can dice them very finely before pan-frying them, then add them to your best savory cornbread recipe. As an accompaniment to the chowder above, it would be fantastic!

4. A chanterelle risotto

Here, chanterelle can be found in two forms: you can use the rehydration juice from dehydrated chanterelles as a liquid for the risotto, then add a pan of fresh chanterelles to the dish when the rice is cooked. For the final touch, we offer you a crispy chanterelle made from rehydrated chanterelles that you have fried in oil until they become very crunchy.

5. Polenta with wild mushrooms

Polenta is a dish often forgotten in Québec, and we can't explain why, because it's incredibly easy to make, delicious, and ultra-economical. All it takes is cornmeal, cooked in water or broth, added butter and parmesan at the end, and a garnish to serve it with. Here: a mixed pan of chanterelles and lobster mushrooms. You're welcome.

6. Carbonara pasta with chanterelles

Now, we need to talk. When we say carbonara, we are not talking about cream sauce. We're talking about the Italian version which contains egg yolks (1 per person + 1 for the main dish), grated parmesan (not Kraft!), lots of black pepper and a little pan-fried pancetta. To all this, we add a little pasta water by mixing pasta & sauce, and in our case, the pan-fried chanterelles on top. If you want to make a vegetarian version, just avoid the pancetta. Mushrooms, with their umami taste, can easily replace it.

7. Cream of wild mushrooms

We all know the classic cream of mushroom soup, most of the time made with button mushrooms. But wait for the revelation you will have when you try this recipe with chanterelles and lobster mushrooms. Bonus: If you're feeling like veganizing a creamy dinner recipe, this one is perfect, because mushrooms add a ton of flavor, especially if you combine them with white miso.

8. A luxurious, mushroomy mac and cheese

Is there a more fantastic pairing than cheese and mushrooms? We think not. So why deprive yourself of this ultimate comfort food? Start by making a roux in a large saucepan, add the mushrooms, then add the milk or cream and cheese to create the sauce. Then add your pan fried mushrooms and macaroni and devour. If you have enough patience, you can add a layer of cheese and send everything to the oven to brown. But for our part, we cannot wait. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♂️ Find our forest mac and cheese recipe with chanterelles here!

9. A salad of barley and grilled chanterelles

For a nourishing salad, cook barley (or farro, or wild rice), and once cooled, add it to a pan of chanterelles and French shallots that has also cooled. Add fresh herbs, a little olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan shavings, and you're done.

10. Preserved marinated lobster mushrooms

It is during the season of abundance that we must plan for winter! So now is the time to make your pickled mushroom preserves. The marinade is of course open to interpretation, but we recommend that you add fennel seeds, ginger, garlic and sweetfern.

We hope that this little list has inspired you to cook our local mushrooms. What are your favorite recipes that feature chanterelles and lobster mushrooms ? Please feel free to leave us a comment below! 👇

Enjoy your food!