While porcini hunting recently, I had good luck finding some exceptionally large morels in one drainage, with several larger than my hand. I found most of them near the elevation limit of the fruiting porcini, and I suppose if I had kept going up I might have found a bunch more, but my heart was set on porcini, so I picked these as a satisfying bonus—and made sure to mark my maps with notes for further investigation another time.
I got three meals out of these collateral morels, including this lamb dinner for six paired with large squares of semolina and chive gnocchi. For the gnocchi recipe, click here. A ladle of morel sauce finished the dish. 
Lamb Marinade
6 Lamb chops, French-cut
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp sage, chopped
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Season lamb with salt and pepper. Whisk together remaining ingredients and brush on both sides of lamb. Marinate 2 hours, then grill.
Morel Wine & Herb Sauce
1 lb morels, halved (or quartered if large)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 large shallot, diced
1 cup red wine
1 oz porcini, pulverized
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 heaping tbsp mascarpone (or 1/4 cup heavy cream)
splash Madeira, to taste (optional)
salt and pepper
Reconstitute porcini ahead of time in warm water and set aside for 30 minutes. Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in skillet, then add diced shallot and morels. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes over medium-high heat before pouring in red wine. Reduce by two-thirds, then add porcini stock, herbs, and a splash of Madeira. Lower heat to medium and cook several more minutes to reduce by half or so. Just before serving, stir in remaining butter and mascarpone. The sauce should thicken nicely and the butter will lend it an attractive sheen. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with that red wine you’ve been saving for a special meal. Serves 4-6.
delicious looking meal.
I love the quintessential spring meals… especially when they involve morels.
Ciao Chow Linda – Thanks, I’m glad you think so, since it was hard under the circumstances (hunk o’ meat, bad light, too much wine already) to get a photo that fully expressed the enjoyment we got out of this particular meal. Good friends, good local seasonal ingredients, lots of laughter at table. What a meal should be.
Julia – Me too! Almost everything goes better with morels.
Oh yes – fantastic stuff. You have reminded me to go get some lamb. Where did you get yours from?
Seriously, morels, lamb, mascarpone? all in one dish! fantastic.
You know Lang, either you’re a damn good cook, or you’re hiding one from us in your writings – whichever, good show!
Matt – I don’t have a regular lamb spot. Sometimes the Columbia City butcher (Bob’s Meat Locker, or something like that), sometimes the guys in the Pike Place Market, sometimes the local QFC if pressed for time. It was all-natural, but not sure of the provenance.
Doc – Hopefully I’m making the case that anyone–including a guy who finished schooling not knowing how to chop an onion–can cook a decent meal with honest ingredients. Also, when you forage some of those ingredients yourself, you want to give them the best preparation possible.
Hi LC:
The morel sauce looks delicious and I will be trying it as soon as they are available again. Your recipe calls for adding some herbs, but they are not listed in the ingredient list. Which do you use and about what quantity?
Thanks!
Hi LC:
The morel sauce looks delicious and I will be trying it as soon as they are available again. Your recipe calls for adding some herbs, but they are not listed in the ingredient list. Which do you use and about what quantity?
Thanks!