Collecting & Preserving Mushrooms from the Wild

Duxelles (say: duke’ sel)

This is a simple way to remove water from mushrooms and preserve them to use as a flavor enhancer in recipes at a later date. To make a duxelles put the cleaned, trimmed mushrooms into a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over high heat and add the mushrooms and some salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has been released and the volume of the mushrooms has really shrunk down. When the mushrooms start to brown, toss in some minced onions and garlic, and maybe some parsley. Add a splash of wine. Once the mushrooms have been cooked, freeze in an ice-cube tray. You could then put them into a freezer bag or vacuum-seal them to use later. You can use as many cubes as you want and put the rest back in the freezer. Making duxelles provides you with a ready-to-use mushroom flavor for a great addition to soup, stuffing, stew, and as a base for bruschetta.