The Substitution For Chanterelle Mushrooms That's Sweetly Affordable

If you're lucky enough to live near a forest (especially one that plays host to hardwood and conifer trees), you should put on your galoshes and forage for mushrooms the next time there's a heavy rain that leaves the air dense and humid. But if your closest greenspace is a public city park, chances are your fungi hauls are limited to farmers markets and grocery stores. If that's the case, you've probably noticed that certain types of mushrooms are cheaper than others. 

Chanterelles are some of the most coveted wild mushrooms of the bunch, due in part to the specific growing conditions they need to thrive. As such, they're also among the priciest, clocking in at upwards of $25 per pound at some Pacific Northwest retailers. When dried, a pound of chanterelles can set you back a whopping $200.

Thankfully for frugal mushroom lovers, there's a chanterelle dupe out there that offers a similarly complex flavor for a little less cash. Meet the hedgehog mushroom, also known as the "sweet tooth."

Okay, so hedgehog mushrooms aren't exactly the same as chanterelles, but that doesn't stop professional chefs from using them as a replacement when the latter is thin on the ground. They certainly have a similar shape as golden chanterelles, and they take on a comparable color after they're cooked. After all, they're cousins. 

Chef Devan of Braised and Deglazed likens the flavor of hedgehog shrooms to watercress and oysters. He adds that they're milder than black trumpet mushrooms but far more flavorful than standard creminis. Its floral aroma is what gives it its "sweet tooth" nickname. "For me, these mushrooms taste mild, nutty and have a beautiful sweetness," he writes. 

Like chanterelles, hedgehogs are pretty easy to spot in the forest thanks to their yellow-orange caps. However, if you're looking for them on your next grocery trip, keep in mind that they might be tricky to find; an Instacart search for hedgehogs in the Brooklyn area, for instance, yields limited results. 

While mushrooms vary greatly in taste and texture, most species benefit from the same treatment: being sauteed with plenty of garlic and butter. Hedgehog mushrooms are no exception. Pat them dry (if you choose to wash them first), slice them or leave them whole, and let them turn golden brown in the skillet with a little salt and pepper before hitting them with lemon and chopped herbs like parsley or dill. You might even add a dollop of crème fraîche if you're feeling fancy.  

Pickling is another great way to enjoy hedgehog mushrooms throughout the seasons since they only grow during a few short months out of the year. James Beard-lauded chef Alan Bergo calls his mushroom "conserve" recipe "the best pickled mushroom you've ever had." He likes to serve them warm on toast for lunch, or as a side with dinner entrees. His recipe calls for garlic, neutral oil, kosher salt, rice wine vinegar, and thyme; he stresses that the fewer the add-ins, the better the end result will be.