A sight that makes me smile. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

I came across this box of chanterelles last week while picking up some collard greens, and could not envision doing anything other than buying the mushrooms and sautéing them  that evening. They were plump and fresh and beautiful.

I like simplicity when it comes to chanterelles, and these I gently rubbed clean with a paper towel and set on the counter for an hour or two, so they would dry as much as possible. I cut the larger ones into smaller pieces, and then put a bit of butter and olive oil in a pan and turned the heat on medium-high. Into the pan (once the butter was melted) went two cloves of diced garlic, and, a few minutes later, the chanterelles.

Cleaned and sorted with care. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

The aroma was stunning, and I swirled the mushrooms around the pan, making sure to coat them with the oil and butter. They absorbed all of the liquid after 5 minutes or so, a process that I love, and then, as if by magic, gradually, the oil and butter — along with the mushrooms’ own juices — began to emerge. It is a moving sight.

I seasoned the chanterelles with salt and pepper, garnished with some parsley, and relished a dish of perfection.

Chanterelles: A bowl of one of my favorite foods. (Photo by The Brockhaus)