Typically found under deciduous trees across northern forests from summer to fall, black chanterelle mushrooms offer an enchanting culinary experience. With a dusky appearance, a soft and velvety texture, a unique blend of rich umami and earthy flavors, and an irresistibly smoky, fruity aroma reminiscent of truffles, these handpicked premium whole black chanterelle mushrooms are an alluring ingredient for the best sauces, soups, stews, and more.
Note: the 1 lb (454 g) size option comes in a plain plastic bag that does not resemble the packaging in the displayed product images.
Place them in a container and generously cover them with either hot or room temperature water (hot water allows for faster reconstitution but may reduce flavor intensity).
Gently push down the mushrooms to submerge them into the water and allow them to soak for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on their size, type, and if they're whole or either thickly or thinly sliced (large, whole, or thick-sliced mushrooms require longer soaks).
Once the mushrooms have softened all the way through, remove them from the container, place them in a strainer, and rinse them with fresh running water to remove any leftover grit.
Lightly press the rinsed mushrooms with a towel to extract any excess liquid.
(Optional) The soaking liquid often retains a significant amount of mushroom flavor and can be used for cooking. Before using or storing it, run it through a strainer lined with a coffee filter to remove any grit. This liquid can be kept in a refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months before use.
To make dry mushroom powder:
Grind down the mushrooms using a food processor, blender, mortar and pestle, coffee or spice grinder, or similar appliance.
Sift and strain the resulting mixture to remove any large pieces.
Repeat the above steps until you're left with a uniformly fine powder.
Use the powder to season dishes before cooking or baking them.
Store any leftover powder in an air-tight container in a cool, dark, dry place and use it within a month.