Chanterelle Bacon

Sharing is caring!

Back in December, I had the chance to fulfill a long time food fantasy;  mushroom foraging.  Spenser Magazine asked me to cover a story foraging in Northern California, I immediately said, “Yes”.  My research leads me to someone who keeps a very low profile, Mr. Ryane Snow.  What little I found made me want to meet him even more.  I sent off my pitch for the story and waited, anxiously.  After a few days, the answer, I had hoped for flew into my inbox, and with it came this amazing recipe for chanterelle bacon.

Ryane, who is an expert on foraging mushrooms, lives in Mendocino, which is the perfect area for finding mushrooms.  Even if, there is not a lot of rain happening (hence, our California winter this year), the cool, foggy temperatures of the wild coast create a blanket of moisture over the forest floors;  this is what is needed to produce amazing mushrooms. Not to mention a thrilling day with Ryane.  A few emails back and forth and a weekend was confirmed.  We would be spending the day with Ryane along with Jun Belen, the super talented photographer who was shooting the story.

While foraging for mushrooms, our discussion leads to recipes.  I asked him what was one of his favorite mushroom inspired meals to make was, and he told me chanterelle bacon.  Now, I thought this was somewhat funny as I had learned earlier, that he was vegan.  He proceeded to tell me how he makes “bacon” out of the buttery chanterelles, and that yes, it takes like bacon.  We came home with some gorgeous chanterelles and made this wonderful recipe in honor of a day that will never be forgotten.  Thank you, Ryane, for opening a whole new world to us and for a new “bacon” love!

**  We’d all be thrilled if you took the time to read The Mystical Allure of Mushrooms and to learn about Ryane;  he is a gem and the experiences he shares are a chance in a lifetime.

Recipe:  Chanterelle Bacon

Ingredients:

* recipe from Ryane Snow – master mushroom forager (read my story over at Spenser Magazine)

**  this recipe works well with Shiitake mushrooms as well

chanterelles

olive oil

sea salt

How To:

Heat the oven to 250.

Strip the chanterelles by ripping from the edge of the cap toward the base of the stem; this should create bacon-like strips.

Lightly brush with olive oil and lay the strips on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle a small amount of sea salt over the top.

Slide into the oven, turning the strips over occasionally until they are golden brown and somewhat crispy.

Serve.

Eat.

More Chanterelle Recipes

Sautéed Chanterelles

Chanterelle and Blue Cheese Tart

Aged Black Garlic Risotto with Chanterelles