Mushrooms That Go With Pasta

[Mylegsbig]

Hey there. It seems my penne & shrimp with lobster mushrooms is impossible ATM. There are no lobster mushrooms at my market. The guy said they only have them on select occasions.

But..they have TONS of other types of fresh mushrooms. Including some that looked kind of like Lobster, called White Chanterelle. These were 45 dollars a pound though and im not sure if they are good so i didnt get them.

What rare fresh mushroom could i substitute for Lobster for this white wine based pasta dish?

For this go around i just bought shiitake. Ive had these before and are good. But im looking for something more exotic. thanks.

[urmaniac13]

Okay, if you are splurging for lobster, go all the way and team it up with porcini!! Yes they are expensive but the flavour is exquisite!!

[Robo410]

morels are always a joy too

[Mylegsbig]

Urmaniac, alas, fresh porcinis are not available at my market either.

I use the dried porcinis and their broth in my sunday sauce though, and it indeed gives it alot of kick.

[Mylegsbig]

Robo, what type of pasta dish would Morels be good in?

[AllenOK]

Anything and everything!

[Mylegsbig]

So morels are exquisite? What about white chantarelles?

[ironchef]

MLB, for me personally, I wouldn't use rare and/or ultra-expensive mushrooms in a pasta dish unless the mushrooms themselves were the star. The exception would be risotto where you can really capture the flavor of the mushroom in the sauce. I would stick with low end to midrange mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, portobello, oyster, etc.). If you can find them, there are some Japanese mushrooms (Maitake, Hon-shimeji, Bun-Shimeji) which are affordable and go well in a pasta. Morels you could pull off because they have a robust flavor, but chanterelles are more delicate tasting and can be overpowered if not done right.

[Mylegsbig]

Ironchef, the reason i ask is i'd like to explore the realm of high end mushrooms. If you have some other suggestions please let me know. I've yet to taste the high end mushrooms.

[ironchef]

Originally Posted by Mylegsbig

Ironchef, the reason i ask is i'd like to explore the realm of high end mushrooms. If you have some other suggestions please let me know. I've yet to taste the high end mushrooms.

IMO, the best way then would be to saute them in butter with shallots, salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of minced parsley at the end. It's not exciting but you get to taste the flavor of the mushroom itself without having to compete with other flavors, especially if it is your first time using the mushroom. Then, you can experiment with it how you wish because you'll know what you're working with and how strong the flavor may or may not be in a certain dish.