I joked the other day on instagram that we are now in pasta season. And while I don’t totally believe that, pasta season, like soup season is year round for us, we do tend to lean heavier on those comfort style meals now that the weather is getting cooler. With that cooler weather and rain, the forests are generously filling up with mushrooms, specifically chanterelles, one of my favorites. I would say I am somewhere in between beginner and not quite a beginner when it comes to foraging mushrooms. I really tend to stick to morels, chanterelles, and porcini’s, as in my opinion they are the easiest to identify. One day I would love to take a class on mushroom hunting, I find it fascinating, plus the time in the woods is always so relaxing for my non-stop mind.

Last weekend we took the kids about 45 minutes from our house to a few spots that we have had luck with chanterelle’s before. Luckily as the kids have gotten older they have found more of an interest in the hunting process, it’s basically a scavenger hunt for them. We hit up a few spots and luckily walked away with quite a few mushrooms to help make this pasta (adapted from this pasta), two soups, toast, and a few leftover for pizzas.

If mushroom foraging is not your thing, or you do not live in an area that has them nearby, check out your local farmers market and support those vendors! They are the experts and can tell you all about cool new ways to cook with these beauties.

Creamy Chanterelle Pasta
serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound chanterelles, cleaned and quartered or sliced
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
9 ounces pappardelle
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 ounce parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving

STEPS
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer, doing this in batches if they don’t all fit, browning them for about 3 minutes, toss and brown the other side for an additional 3-5 minutes. Season with salt.

Reduce the heat to medium, add in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the shallots, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the shallots are translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle with very seasoned salted water until al dente. Reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Add the cooked pasta to the large skillet, along with the 1/2 cup of heavy cream and a 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Bring to a simmer, tossing until the liquid has slightly thickened about 3 minutes, then add in the oregano.

Remove the skillet from the heat, add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 lemon juiced, 1/2 ounce grated parmesan cheese and lots of freshly ground pepper, while you are tossing the pasta. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve with additional parmesan cheese and fresh oregano.