Page 258 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Red Chanterelle, Cantharellus

cinnabarinus (CANTHARELLACEAE)

Geoff Balme, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Katja Schulz, CC-BY-2.0

RED CHANTERELLE grows on the soil under hard- derside, sometimes with a whitish or yellowish base.
woods in eastern North America. It favors oak and SPORES: 6-10 x 3.5-5.5 µ, elliptical, smooth; Spore
beech and is often found in the company of its gold- print: creamy-pink
en-yellow relative, C. cibarius. Fruiting in the summer
EDIBLE PARTS: cap, stem
and early fall, this mushroom occurs solitarily or in
HOW TO EAT: These delicately-flavored chanterelles
groups and is admired for its brilliant vermillion-red
are fruity and floral with a hint of spiciness. While
color.
delicious in a simple sauté, they also pair well with
CAP: The smooth, dry cap is 0.4-1.5 inches (1-4cm)
meats, fish, and eggs.
across and broadly convex. With age, it flattens, often
CINNABAR SMOKED TROUT SALAD: Ingredients:
developing a shallow central depression. Its margin
¾ cup red chanterelles, butter, 1 red onion (diced), 1
is incurved and more or less circular when young, be-
tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 ⅓ cup yogurt, 2 apples (diced),
coming wavy or irregularly lobed. The cap’s vivid red-
½ pear (diced), ¾ inch celery (diced), salt, pepper, 14
pink to red-orange color dulls with age. Its thin, white
oz. (400g) smoked trout. Lightly sauté chanterelles in
flesh is tinted cinnabar-red near the skin with a mild
butter (4 min.). In a bowl, combine with onion, may-
to slightly peppery flavor.
onnaise, yogurt, apples, pear, and celery. Refrigerate
UNDERSIDE: Color of the cap or paler, the underside for a few hours. Serve with smoked trout on pumper-
is lined with thick, blunt false gills that run down the nickel bread.
stem. These ridges may be spaced closely or distantly POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Jack-O-Lantern, Om-
and are often forked or cross-veined.
phalotus illudens - bright orange or yellow; thin
STEM: Measuring 0.5-1.5 inches (1.2-4cm) long and flesh; unforked, blade-like true gills; grows on wood;
0.2-0.4 inches (0.4-1cm) wide the solid stem is equal False Chanterelle, Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca - or-
or thinner towards the base. It is colored like the un- ange-yellow; true gills; velvety surface.

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