We try to eat as much local and organic food as possible, which also means we eat seasonal foods. For late summer here in Sweden, that means mushrooms, particularly chanterelles. Chanterelle mushrooms, the cream of the crop with their buttery flavor, taste amazing in soups, on toast, as a side dish or in a salad. I think less is more when it comes to bringing out the flavor of these wonderful yellow mushrooms.
I have to admit I’m super excited to be living where they grow outside my house right now. For many years, I have had to pay an arm and a leg for dry, poor little chanterelles that had traveled so far to my Whole Foods. I know, I know: not very local eating by me. What can I say — I had cravings sometimes and missed a bit of home. That’s when I made an exception and got what I wanted, no matter what.
As I said, less is more, so here is my super easy pasta dish that is very local for this time of the year. If you cannot or will not find chanterelles, oyster mushrooms will do, too.
- 4 servings cooked fusilli pasta
- 2 cups of chanterelles, torn into smaller pieces
- 2 cups Swiss chard, chopped very fine
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup half and half — or — for vegans, use ½ cup cream such as mimic cream and ½
- cup almond milk
- Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Fry mushrooms in single layer for 2-3 minutes. Add Swiss chard and cook for 2 more minutes. Add cream, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and enjoy!!!
