What is the best way to clean morel mushrooms?

Belonging to the same fungus species as the truffle, morels are a prized mushroom. While you can buy them dried year-round or fresh at farmers’ markets in spring (where you’ll likely pay a pretty penny), people harvest them in the wild. But, morels, especially if you’ve harvested them yourself, come with a fair amount of dirt in all their nooks and crannies.

To clean morels, wait until right before you’re going to cook them. Since morels have hollow centers, where grit or bugs can collect, we recommend first slicing them in half, lengthwise. After that, give them a quick rinse in salt water (one tablespoon salt per quart of water). Be sure to drain your morels well and pat them dry, then use them right away.

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