The last couple of times I have visited Nagy Vásárcsarnok, I have seen a stall holder with a cloth covered table hawking a mound of fresh morels. I took the plunge and bought some on Saturday, lest her supply peters out. I have a sneaking feeling the price won't dwindle appreciably over the season, so no point in procrastinating!
The French have the treatment of mushrooms sewn up: with garlic, cream, mild herbs such as chervil or parsley, the mushroom pan de-glazed with a splash of cognac, served on a crouton, or sacrificed to a duxelles.
Take a couple of big handfuls (enough for four people) and use a paper towel to wipe off any dirt. If they are filthy and you feel you must wash them, use them immediately afterwards to stop them discolouring.
Pop a knob of butter and a splash of light olive oil into a pan, add a very finely sliced clove of garlic and sweat over a low heat until the garlic is translucent. Add the mushrooms and some fresh herbs (I used thyme leaves and parsley stalks) and cook for 5 – 10 minutes until they have lost some volume and are just softened. Morels should always be well cooked to neutralise any toxins they may contain. De-glaze the pan with a tot of brandy or Madeira (vodka or vermouth will work just as well), add a glug of cream, a grind of pepper and salt, et voilà! I also added a little chicken jelly which I had culled from a chicken confit. More on that later.
Serve on a thin piece of toast, with a nice red Burgundy if you're feeling lavish.
* a.k.a Dry Land Fish, a.k.a Morels according to the good folks of Virginia and Kentucky, where they also grow
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