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by Crystal Schlueter
The beginning of foraging season is upon us, which means morel mushrooms are here for their brief annual appearance. Local mushroom expert, Mason Wiekert, is back with another morel pasta dish. Mason said the sauce is the best he has ever made, and the shrimp were the perfect accompaniment. If you are unable to find fresh morels, Zup’s carries the dried variety. To substitute store-bought dried morels for fresh, 1 ounce of dry mushrooms is approximately the equivalent of 1/2 pound of fresh mushrooms. Reconstitute and boil the morels according to package instructions prior to adding to the pan. Due to these mushrooms being costly, I recommend using 1 ounce of dry morels and 8 ounces of a fresh, more cost-efficient mushroom variety.
PASTA INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh morel mushrooms 2 cups room temperature warm water 16 ounces fresh fettuccine (or about 12 ounces dry) 1/2 cup unsalted butter 5 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon (or 2 teaspoons dried) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta Instructions:
Place the morels in a bowl and cover with water. Let the mushrooms sit for 20-30 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Gently rinse the morels and slice in half if large. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth. Set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, as the pasta water is heating, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter. Once melted, add the morels and cook until golden, about four minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often. Pour in the reserved morel soaking liquid. Cook until the liquid is reduced to approximately 1/4 cup. Add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the cheese. Turn the heat to medium low and cook until the cheese in melted and the sauce is thickened, stirring often. Drain the pasta and add to the pan. Turn off the heat and stir in the chives, tarragon, and zest. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Toss until thoroughly mixed and divide over 4 plates. Top with shrimp.
Shrimp Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or basil, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped 4 cloves minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Cayenne pepper, to taste 1 pound large shrimp, thawed from frozen
Shrimp Instructions:
Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, and spices in a small bowl. Place the shrimp in another bowl and pour in 3/4 of the marinade. Gently toss until the shrimp are well-coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat. As the grill is heating, skewer the shrimp or place in a grill basket in an even layer. Once the grill is hot, grill shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side or until opaque throughout. Remove the shrimp to a plate and spoon the remaining marinade on top.
Yield: 4 servings Notes: The pasta was adapted from burrataandbubbles.com. The shrimp was adapted from downshiftology.com.
