Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wild Harvest: Chicken of the Woods


With all the uproar in Athens surrounding raising chickens in town, we can rest assured that no legislation will take away one of my favorite mushrooms, Chicken of the Woods. An unusually late rush of these bright orange polypores has made me a happy camper these last two weeks. Chicken of the Woods are one of the more easily identifiable edible mushrooms, though caution should always be taken when foraging for wild mushrooms. It has great flavor and a wonderful chicken like texture-- a great mushroom for those who think they hate mushrooms.

I spotted Chicken of the Woods at the Athens Farmers Market this morning at Integration Acres. Chris Chmiel and I noted that this years harvest was a little woodier in texture than usual but delicious none the less. If you go out in the woods, they typically grow on dead or mature oaks and other hardwoods.

My favorite recipe for this mushroom usually comes in the form of a Thai curry or soups but after finding a few pounds worth in the woods last weekend, my partner and I decided to make a quiche. Using almost entirely local and foraged ingredients, the result was a beautiful and delicious feast. Click the link below for the recipe and enjoy your own!

Wild Mushroom Quiche Recipe

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