Dean & DeLuca wrapped up its spring recipe contest on Friday. We asked blog readers to create an eye-opening dish using first-of-the-season ingredients and share their recipe and the story behind it. At stake for the winner was a $50 Dean & DeLuca gift card. Scoring was based on creativity, the quality of the story behind the dish, photography, and the prominence of the selected spring ingredient. Our judges reviewed all the eligible entries and after careful consideration, they selected a winner.
Please join us in congratulating personal chef and food/travel writer Bren Herrera! Inspired by a meeting she had with Joël Robuchon, Bren decided to make morel mushrooms with apricots, garlic, and red onion. By combining earthy/meaty morels with sweet apricots, Bren created a mouth-watering juxtaposition. Below is Bren’s winning post and a photo of her dish.
Congratulations Bren!
Fresh Morels Stuffed With Garlic, Onion and Sun-dried Apricots
By Bren Herrera
When I staged with Joël Robuchon in his L’Atelier at the Four Seasons in Manhattan, last September, he expressed with a lot of passion, the vital necessity of using fresh food and great fresh food. He talked about hand-picking his ingredients and selecting them based on smell, texture, consistency and color. During our interview, one of his sous chefs brought out a bowl of porcini mushrooms that he had just flown in from Asia. He took selecting food to a completely different dimension. The mushrooms were perfect.
When I decided to participate in Dean & DeLuca’s spring recipe contest, mushrooms came to mind! I went to the store around the corner from my home and asked for morels. They brought me a box they had just received from California. It took me 30 minutes to hand-select 4 morels. I looked for all the things Chef Robuchon talked about during our meeting.
There were no fresh apricots, so I opted for sun-dried. I also used fresh garlic and red onion. My decision to use all these ingredients together was to offer a juxtaposition of meaty/earthiness and sweetness with a slight kick from the lightly cooked garlic and red onion. I capped off the mushrooms with a slice of apricot just to bring everything together and give the diner an excuse to pick up the mushrooms with a toothpick versus having to cut them with a fork and knife.
Voila! Something I’ve never tried before, but love now!
Fresh Morels Stuffed With Garlic, Onion and Sun-dried Apricots
Serves 1-2
Ingredients:
4 medium-sized fresh morel mushrooms
7 sun-dried apricots, parted
1.5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 ½ tbsp. red onion, minced
1 tbsp. butter
Pinch of salt (optional)
Directions:
Rinse morels and pat dry, completely. Remove cap and slightly open/expand opening, about ¼ inch. Set aside. Mince 5 apricots. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add apricots and red onions and pinch of salt. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Set mixture aside. Add butter to same skillet and lightly brown morels for 2 minutes over medium heat. Using tongs, gently turn the mushrooms in order to brown all sides. Remove from heat. Using a demitasse spoon or a smaller utensil, fill each morel with apricot and garlic mixture. Reserve remaining mixture.
Take remaining 2 apricots and split them in half, using your fingers, leaving four thinner slices. Quickly sear the slices for about 30 seconds. Place one slice of apricot under each mushroom and secure using a toothpick. Use remaining apricot and garlic mixture to line your serving dish. Place morels on dish. Serve.
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Comments ( 1 Comment )
Congratulations Bren! This is quite an inspiring recipe with a delicious flavors! Well done.
Chris added these pithy words on Mar 31 10 at 2:32 am 
