Ingredient Spotlight: Black Trumpet Mushrooms

This mushroom has been a little elusive on my wild mushroom forays. Its dark color and thin, ruffled edges make it a bit difficult to spot on the forest floor. But finding some black trumpet mushrooms is a treat, because they are very delicious. If you aren't a mushroom forager, you can find these at your local gourmet fungi distributor, or online.

Black trumpet mushrooms are cornucopia-shaped, with ruffled lips, and a dark brown to dark purplish black in color. They are thin and papery. In spite of their fragile appearance, they have a lot of flavor. They are delicious sauteed in a little butter, and they dry very well. They do very well in soups and risottos and have a very deep flavor.

If you can't find them locally, try one of these online resources.

(Image: Kathryn Hill)

Comments (2)

These mushrooms are very sandy and tend to be difficult to clean since they are dark. I clean mine in a vinegar and salt water bath.

my mother in law is an expert mushroom finder. I have a stash of these that I only pull out on rare and special occasions. I'm always reminded of a description that said they smelled a little like Mirabelle plums - I'm always shocked to smell that winy sweet musky odor that comes out of the jar when I open them...