More morels than you can eat? Freeze the extras

Lucky mushroom hunters who have bagged more fungi than they can eat can freeze some for later, said a University of Missouri Extension nutrition specialist.

“It’s best to freeze the extras the same day you picked them, not several days later when you haven’t had time to use them,” said Janet Hackert.

First, you need to clean them. “Wild mushrooms tend to have lots of tiny insects in all those cracks and crevices,” she said.

To clean, rinse in salt water, changing the water several times to draw out the bugs. Remove clean mushrooms promptly; soaking mushrooms too long can dilute the flavor.

For freezing, use small to medium mushrooms. You can quarter, slice or leave them whole. Prepare mushrooms by blanching, steaming or sautéing to inactivate enzymes that can cause color and texture to deteriorate.

--To blanch, place mushrooms in boiling water mixed with either 1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid for each pint of water. Boil slices for 3 minutes, quarters and buttons for 3 1/2 minutes, and whole mushrooms for 5 minutes.

--To steam, first dip mushrooms for 5 minutes in water with the same proportion of lemon juice or citric acid as used for blanching. Steam pieces or whole mushrooms for the same amount of time you would blanch them.

--To sauté, heat small amounts in butter or oil until almost done.

After blanching, steaming or sautéing, immediately cool the mushrooms in ice water and drain well.

You can freeze them plain or breaded. Breadings include flour, a mixture of corn and flour, and breadcrumbs. Eggs, milk or water work well as liquids for the coating to stick to. Freeze breaded mushrooms in a single layer on a cookie sheet before bagging.

Place mushrooms in an airtight container, leaving a half inch of space at the top.

“For best flavor, use within one to two months,” Hackert said.

For more information about freezing, see the MU Extension publication “Quality for Keeps: Freezing Unusual Fruits and Vegetables” (GH1507), available for purchase or free download at http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=GH1507.

Know your mushrooms

Experts urge mushroom hunters to thoroughly familiarize themselves with edible mushroom species and any poisonous lookalikes. For pictures and descriptions of edible mushroom species, see www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/mushrooms/mushroom/edible.htm.