A Forager’s Feast: Lamb Lollipops in Black Trumpet Browned Butter Sauce
This week’s steady precipitation is a welcomed break from the heat dome that encircled New England over the holiday weekend. The rains will undoubtedly encourage some solid flushes of colorful and delicious summer mushrooms over the next 7 to 10 days.
Chanterelles, Milk Caps, a wide variety of Boletes and Black Trumpets all enjoy hot weather and damp conditions. To celebrate the official opening of the fungi season, I wanted to share one of my very favorite recipes with you. It’s the perfect dish to grill and enjoy lakeside and takes less than 30 minutes to prep and cook!
Where to Find Black Trumpets
Due to their size and color, Black Trumpets can be frustratingly hard to see when mixed in with leaves among the forest floor. While they are associated with specific trees, I find that targeting certain environmental features leads to a more successful hunt. More than any other mushroom, Black Trumpets love to hang out on hillside washes and along mossy trail edges with inclines.
Instead of looking up at the horizon for bright colors or specific shapes, you need to look down at your feet and walk slowly. Tread softly, following any indication of natural water flow created by rains. Inhale deeply and let your nose be your guide. If you smell sweetness in the air, stop and inspect the ground around you. It may sound odd, but I have found more Black Trumpets directly under my feet by using this technique.
Cooking with Black Trumpets
Although fairly small and thin, Black Trumpets are one of the most versatile mushrooms in the kitchen. Their flavor is similar to truffles and lends to a wide variety of applications, from soups, gravies, and stuffings to sauces, sautés, and even jams. They are also one of the best mushrooms to dehydrate, as they reconstitute well and make for truly fantastic salt mixes when ground up into powder. Even as I write, my mouth is watering just thinking about their incomparable deliciousness. But, I digress. Let’s get to the recipe that is guaranteed to make your taste buds sing!
Ramp-Salted Lamb Lollipops (Chops) in a Black Trumpet Browned Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- 1 rack of lamb, cut into chops (typically 6–7 chops per rack)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ramp salt (coarse sea salt works too!)
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) salted butter
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter (If you only have salted butter, that’s’ fine! Just use 1 tablespoon of ramp salt instead. If you only have unsalted butter, that’s fine too—just use 2 tablespoons of ramp salt, and season the recipe to taste.)
- 2 heaping handfuls of fresh black trumpet mushrooms (they don’t weigh much, but they pack an incredible, earthy flavor), roughly chopped or slightly shredded (or left whole if smaller), or 1 handful of dehydrated Black Trumpets
Instructions
- On a clean grilling surface, coat the racks by brushing with olive oil and set to a medium-high temperature (between 450 and 475°F). Pat the lamb chops dry with a paper towel, if directly from the packaging. Combine ramp salt with pepper, then sprinkle evenly across the top and bottom of each chop.
- Place the chops on the searing-hot grill, close the top, and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from grill and let sit, tented under aluminum foil, for 10 minutes.
- Begin heating a thick-bottomed skillet on medium heat on the stovetop. Add the butter, sliced to melt more quickly, then add the mushrooms.
- Whisk frequently until the butter completely melts and begins to foam. Continue stirring occasionally as the butter browns, then remove from the heat. Taste and season if necessary (if you used unsalted butter).
- Pour mushroom sauce over lamb lollipops tableside for a real crowd-pleaser. Serve with a summer corn and heirloom tomato salad, smashed sunchokes, and new potatoes, or with a medley of roasted veggies.
Upcoming Mushroom Forages
Not sure where to find Black Trumpets or how to identify them on your own? Join me on an upcoming Mushroom Hunt!
July 12 in Haverhill MA – Foraging Walk & Tasting: Black Walnuts, Wild Herbs & Summer Fungi followed by Wildcrafted Liqueur Tasting
July 18 in Waltham MA – Foraging Walk: Wild Herbs, Edible & Poisonous Plants and Summer Fungi
August 15 in Lynn MA – Foraging Walk & Wild Food Picnic: Summer Fungi, Berries & Herbs
