Pig ' s Ear Wild Gourmet MushroomsThe Pig ’ s Ears mushroom ( Gomphus clavatus ) is in the Chanterell family , and is found at the same time and areas that Chanterelles are found . They tend to grow in large clusters , so if you find one , you will likely find many many more close by . The photos in this post were taken from a Fall foray a couple years ago . We walked into a giant crop of Pig ’ s Ears and filled up a 10 pound box with them . They were everywhere ! And only a few hundred feet away we found 10 pounds of Chanterelles as well ! Oh what a tasty gourmet adventure that day provided … . The surface of the cap does not have scales , and the edges of the cap are usually fluted upward and are wavy . The cap is a yellowish - brown to tan in color . It can be somewhat olive colored with age . The underside of the mushroom does not have gills , is somewhat purple in color , and has ridges that run down the stalk almost entirely to the base . The purple color is its most distinctive identifier . The stalk is completely solid , never hollow insideThe flesh inside the cap / stalk is whiteThe spores are pale tan in colorGrow in the FallGrow in old mossy coniferous forests on the ground or on rotten wood . They are usually found in large clusters , arcs , or rings and can yield very high quantities . These are truly exceptional mushrooms . They have a very firm and meaty texture , which holds up well in soups , sauces , and baked dishes . They have a great musty and earthy aroma and flavor , and pair perfectly with dark meats such as beef or lamb . Butter , garlic , wine , stock , and thyme make the Pig ’ s Ears a thing of glory topped on a steak . They cook up nice and dark , and are just beautiful against the canvas of a white plate . Unfortunately , other creatures in the forest have discovered how good Pig ’ s Ears are as well , so you ’ ll need to watch for maggots in the mushrooms . There ’ s nothing more disappointing that seeing a bumper crop of these gourmet treats ruined by creepy crawlies . But rather than throw your entire harvest away , you could try parboiling them . This will kill and remove a good majority of the maggots for you so you can still eat the mushrooms . It sounds crazy , but these mushrooms are so delicious that a few cooked worms in them doesn ’ t even matter in the end . Though they may dehydrate well ( I haven ’ t tried ) , Pig ’ s Ears freeze extremely well . Just par - boil them first , spread them out on a baking sheet , and stick in the freezer to freeze . once frozen , remove from the baking sheet and place in a zip top freezer bag or vacuum seal bag . They will preserve for a long while this way , and keep their firm texture when thawed . Pig ' s Ear Wild Gourmet MushroomThe Bald Gourmet loves mushroom hunting , especially when finding the amazing gourmet treat of Pig ’ s Ear mushrooms . - See more at : http : / / thebaldgourmet . com / pigs - ears - wild - gourmet - mushrooms / # sthash . ahr 3 AyPZ . dpuf 저작 자 표시 동일 조건