Michigan 
Morel mushrooms, or Morchella esculenta, are a type of edible fungus found growing wild in the forests of North America during the spring. Notoriously difficult to cultivate, morels are rare and expensive to purchase. The mushrooms are always eaten cooked and have a unique flavor that is rich and earthy with hints of smoke and hazelnut. Morels are served as a side dish or appetizer and are either breaded and fried or sautéed in butter without breading. They can be enjoyed alone or in a variety of ways, including with steak, in scrambled eggs, atop pizza, or in gravy.
Recipe Servings: 4
+ 30 minutes resting
Ingredients
- Warm water, as needed to cover mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 lb fresh morel mushrooms
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- Oil, as needed for frying
- Salt, to taste
Directions
- Combine the warm water and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large bowl, stirring to dissolve the salt.
- Slice the morels in half lengthwise and soak them in the salt water for about 30 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the mushrooms a couple times before patting them dry using paper towel.
- Combine the flour, breadcrumbs, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large resealable plastic bag and shake it to mix the ingredients together.
- Whisk together the milk and eggs in a small bowl.
- Heat the oil to 350°F in a deep-fryer, large saucepan, or skillet.
- Dip mushrooms, a few at a time, into the egg mixture, and then toss them in the bag of breading mix until coated.
- Shake any excess breading off the mushrooms and transfer them into the hot oil, working in batches.
- Fry the mushrooms for about 6–8 minutes (3–4 minutes per side) or until they are dark brown and crispy on both sides.
- Remove the mushrooms from the oil and place them on paper towel to remove excess oil.
- Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and serve warm.
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