Morels with butter beans, tomatoes and sweet herbs

Description

Morel mushrooms are an exception to the rule that most mushrooms arrive in the autumn with the first rains, for they appear in the spring.

Ingredients

250g/9oz fresh morel mushrooms, or 60g/2½oz dried, rehydrated by covering with boiling water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12-16 sweet cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
1 tbsp roughly torn fresh basil
1 tbsp each of roughly chopped fresh tarragon and dill
½ red onion, chopped
300g/10½oz cooked butter beans, cooking liquid reserved
3-4 tbsp olive oil
For the dressing
½ clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Trim the ends of the morels, then fill a sink with cold water, add the morels and toss for a minute to remove the grit. If they are still dirty, rinse one more time. Leave to drain thoroughly in a colander.
2. If using dried morels, carefully lift them out of the soaking liquid so as not to disturb any grit that might have settled at the bottom of the bowl. Put them into a small saucepan, then pour in the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of any grit. Reduce the liquid on a medium heat until you are left with roughly one tablespoon of liquid. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine the garlic, vinegar and olive oil with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and whisk together.
4. Mix together the tomatoes, herbs and onion with the dressing and set aside to let the flavours mingle.
5. When you are ready to eat, warm up the beans in a few tablespoons of their cooking liquid and season with salt.
6. Place a large frying pan over a medium to high heat and add the olive oil. When it is hot, add the morels and juice and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and have a tiny bit of colour. Remove from the heat and taste.
7. Now toss the warm drained beans, half the mushrooms and any juice with the dressed tomatoes. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately with the remaining mushrooms on top.