March to early June
Black morel
Morchella elata
Conditionally edible
Quality · Good: Quality · Good
- Raw
- Do not eat raw
- Cooking
- Thorough cooking required, minimum time not established
A dark, slender morel to confirm by its vertical pits, cap fully attached to the stem and one continuous cavity from top to bottom.
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Guide contents
Guide contents
Season
In spring, approximately from March to early June.
Habitat
Spring woodland edges and cool, slightly disturbed or open soils, in bright woods rather than a dense summer forest setting.
Method
Check several visible features before retaining a species name.
Reviewed scientific notes are shown in French.
- Size
- Cap Ø 3–8 cm
- Smell
- Peu caractéristique.
- Taste
- Peu caractéristique.
Three features to check on the specimen.
Dark, conical silhouette
The narrow, pointed cap ranges from brownish grey to dark olive-brown and is darker and more slender than the Common morel.
Predominantly vertical pits
Elongated pits are separated by dark ridges whose arrangement appears more vertical than on yellow morels.
Attached cap and single cavity
The lower edge of the cap is fully attached to the stem and a longitudinal cut reveals one continuous cavity from apex to base.
Examine the specimen in this order.
- Cut every specimen lengthwise to confirm one continuous, completely hollow cavity.
- Confirm that the surface consists of inward pits rather than outward brain-like folds.
- Check that the cap edge is fully attached to the stem and keep the spring context in the assessment.
Features incompatible with this species.
Reviewed scientific notes are shown in French.
- Verpa bohemica: Les reliefs sont des plis qui imitent les alvéoles. Le chapeau n’est fixé qu’au sommet du pied. Le pied peut être farci ou creux selon le stade: sa seule cavité ne suffit pas.
- Morchella esculenta: La morille noire tend vers un chapeau conique à côtes longitudinales foncées; la morille commune tend vers un chapeau plus arrondi à alvéoles irrégulières claires.
- Morchella semilibera: Le chapeau à vrais alvéoles est fixé à mi-hauteur, avec sa moitié inférieure libre. Chez les deux morilles comparées, le bord inférieur rejoint le pied. Examinez cette attache sur un exemplaire entier.
- Gyromitra esculenta: Gyromitra porte des lobes cérébriformes, non des alvéoles à côtes; la coupe montre des chambres irrégulières plutôt que la cavité continue d’une vraie morille.
- Verpa conica: La confusion concerne surtout les formes ridées ou réticulées décrites par le WSL. Le petit chapeau pend librement et n’est fixé qu’au sommet du pied; il ne possède pas les vrais alvéoles d’une morille.
From an inspected basket to the kitchen
From an inspected basket to the kitchenDrying, storage and two recipes for Black morel.
Black morels may be prepared in a sauce or risotto only after cutting every specimen lengthwise and cooking them thoroughly.
Black morels on toast
Thick toast topped with a long-cooked morel sauce and no raw garnish.
- Preparation
- 25 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 250 gFresh, identified Black morels
- 4Thick slices of country bread
- 1Shallot, chopped
- 25 gButter
- 10 clDry white wine
- 15 clVegetable stock
- 20 clDouble cream
- 1 pinchSalt and pepper
Method
- Check every morelSplit each specimen lengthwise, confirm its continuous cavity and clean the pits without tasting.
- Start cookingCook the shallot and morels in the butter over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Cook thoroughlyAdd the wine and stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cream and continue for another 10 minutes.
- ServeToast the bread, spoon over the piping-hot sauce and serve immediately.
The morels cook for 35 minutes in this recipe. Never eat them raw, do not taste the sauce before cooking is complete and reject every specimen with multiple chambers.
Black morel risotto
A creamy risotto in which the morels are cooked separately for 25 minutes before being combined with the rice.
- Preparation
- 25 min
- Cooking
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 220 gFresh, identified Black morels
- 300 gCarnaroli rice
- 1 LHot vegetable stock
- 1Shallot, chopped
- 10 clDry white wine
- 50 gParmesan, grated
- 30 gButter
- 1 tbspOil
Method
- Cook the morelsAfter cutting and checking them, cook the morels in the oil for 10 minutes, add 10 cl of stock and continue for 15 minutes.
- Toast the riceSoften the shallot in half the butter, add the rice and pour in the wine.
- Add the stockAdd the stock gradually for 18 minutes, then fold in the thoroughly cooked morels.
- FinishAdd the Parmesan and remaining butter, then leave covered for 2 minutes.
Never shorten the 25-minute separate cooking time or add raw morels to the rice. Any possible false morel requires discarding the whole batch.
Documented drying method
Drying after a control cut
Up to 6 months in an airtight, dry, dark and labelled container.Drying is suitable for identified Black morels, but does not destroy the toxins of a dangerous species and never permits consumption without cooking.
- Split every morel lengthwise, confirm the single cavity and reject every doubtful or degraded specimen.
- Clean the pits and arrange the halves in a single layer.
- Dehydrate at 55 to 60 °C for 8 to 10 hours or longer, until dry and brittle.
- Cool completely and immediately seal in a dated airtight container.
- Rehydrate under refrigeration, then cook thoroughly for at least 20 minutes. Never eat dried morels raw.
Recommended storage
Storage after complete drying
Up to 6 months in an airtight, dry, dark and labelled container.Storage starts only after every piece has reached the endpoint described in the drying protocol and cooled completely.
- Allow the entire batch to cool before closing the container to prevent condensation.
- Use a clean, airtight, dated container labelled with the inspected species.
- Keep the container dry, in darkness and away from heat.
- Discard the batch if condensation, mould or an abnormal smell appears.
