Wild Mushrooms, Cleaning and Rehydrating

All fresh wild mushrooms need the same preparation. Pick them over to remove twigs and grass, then trim the stems. Shake and gently brush mushrooms to remove any dirt. Morels tend to be gritty, so brush each one well, splitting the stems to remove any soil inside. Rinse fresh mushrooms with cold water if they still look dirty, but never soak them because they absorb water like a sponge. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water to cover until fairly soft, about 1 hour, or in boiling water for about 30 minutes. Once rehydrated, the mushrooms may need rinsing to remove grit. The soaking water may be strained to remove grit and then added to soups or sauces for added flavor. The flavor of the same variety of fresh and dried mushrooms varies dramatically in strength, but 2 pounds/900 g of fresh mushrooms more or less equals 3½ ounces/100 g dried.