Sitting here at the end of March on the coast of Lake Superior, it has now turned a bitter cold, and an eerily still silence has descended.

Having experienced an extremely late, warm autumn-to-winter transition, I was foraging Matsutake mushrooms in late November thanks to the incoming El Nino weather pattern.

It's one of the warmest winters on record here on the coast.

I had thought I would be writing recipes surrounding the bounty of early-arriving fungi. I had already been out looking at the mycelial growth just beneath the soft, aromatic surface of the forest floor.

I've now accepted that we will not have an early spring, our little bubble has burst, and the El Nino weather pattern has dissipated and yielded to more traditional temperatures.

So, in true pivotal form, I am pleased to share an intimate meal expressing the truest connection between humans, forests, water, and the ubiquitous trip to our favorite markets.

The Black Crappie is a real Minnestan fish, and its flavor is sweetest and most desirable during winter months when the water is coldest or first thing in the spring as the ice recedes.

I was introduced to the brining and smoking of the crappie by a good friend and a good old boy who knew his way around the harvesting and preparation of wild-caught Minnesotan game, fish, fungi, and other forage-ables.

The sweetness of this fish is a perfect complement to the deep umami, fat, and acid of the other ingredients.

I don’t believe you can purchase or sell crappies, so if you're not catching them on your own, or know someone, simply leave them out of this recipe.

This is more about Real Risotto and Black Morels.

I challenge you to get out in the forest and follow your gut. Wild mushrooms, especially Black Morels, hide from you, yet they emit a strong and vibrant energy and call to you if you listen.

I will say with the utmost seriousness, DO NOT EVER FORAGE FOR, AND ESPECIALLY CONSUME WILD MUSHROOMS without the careful guidance of an expert.

NEVER CONSUME THEM RAW OR UNDERCOOKED.

There are plenty of resources, Facebook groups, and guides that take beginners out. I highly recommend this.

I sometimes take small groups out; for some, it is free and part of my commitment to serve, and for others, there is a fee.

Let us begin.

Ingredients:

For the Brine:

4 cups water plus 2 Tbsp Third Coast Fish Sauce, 1 tsp coarse sea salt, 1 tsp brown sugar, one bay leaf. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and allow to cool completely.

Clean and scale your fish, rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and place into the brine for 3- 6 hours.

These are small fish; all you want to accomplish with the brine is to draw out a bit of water and impart a delicate saltiness and umami from the ocean and fish sauce.

For the Risotto:

I am extremely particular about Risotto, and even in my spiritually awakened state, its execution of En Masse tickles my disappointment. Boo hoo for me.

Many disconnected, so-called Chefs say that those who don't know the subtle ways of the Risotto Guru will never know the difference. I think that is a cheap and rude attitude.

Great food is not exclusive to anyone; everyone should have the best knowledge and opportunities to do their best. I’ll show you my way and give you some options to circumvent, simplify, and substitute.

1 Organic yellow onion or two sweet, medium-sized spring onions, bulb only

2 cups of Carnaroli rice (I use “Principato Di Lucedio”) available online through Manicaretti Foods or at your local Whole Foods Market.

Yes, you can substitute substantially less expensive and elusive risotto rice. If possible, do your best to find a Carnaroli, not Superfino. This refers to the kernel size and consistency.

Chicken or vegetable broth (see previous recipes). Have at least 2 to 3 quarts heated and seasoned to taste. I can not tell you how much you will end up using, and recipes that do are dead wrong and misleading.

Unsalted Butter and the highest quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford

½ pound black morels, rinsed and dried

1 Organic lemon, as green as possible

Reggiano Parmigiano, finely and gently grated

Third Coast Superior Fish Sauce (either bottling) will make a remarkable difference.

1 Peeled and lightly crushed clove of garlic

Wild harvested ramps. Ramps are a wild onion plentiful in spring, especially in the Great Lakes region.

Spring-foraged ramps in Northern Minnesota

If you cannot find them locally, they are available through several foraging sites online from British Columbia. Rinse and dry them, leaving them whole.

1 tsp Aleppo pepper or crushed chili flakes

Maldon or other large crystal sea salt. I use salt exclusively from Jacobsen Salt, CO., in Oregon. Their Oregon kosher sea salt is always available through their site or at your local Whole Foods Market, although Maldon is easier to find.

Black peppercorns in a grinder. Fairtrade and organically grown spices are difficult to come by unless you are searching specifically. Pinch Spice Market is my go-to.

1 cup dry white wine, the highest possible quality you can afford.

Method

First, get your crappies smoking.

Minnesotans have this obsession with pellet smoking, so I’m going to leave that alone. You want to keep the temp below 100 degrees for 4-6 hours.

They should be like candy, delicate and not tough or rubbery. You will need to watch closely.

The best there is with Dutch Ovens - Le Creuset

While this is finishing up, let's start your rice in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saucepan. I use Le Creuset or a knock-off if needed.

Start your finely diced yellow onion in ½ olive oil and ½ butter, about 1-2 Tbsp each. Cook on low just until translucent.

Add your rice, stirring with a wooden spoon, to coat it with the oil and butter. Allow to saute for approximately 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high for 15 seconds.

Deglaze the risotto with the wine, stirring vigorously to release the alcohol, about 30 seconds.

Then add the fish sauce, and make certain by the vapor releasing that the alcohol completely evaporates. Reduce heat to low.

Add several ladles of the hot broth to the risotto, just enough to cover. At this point, you only want to stir when absolutely necessary to make sure the liquid has all been absorbed.

Continue this process until the rice is Al Dente. It still has quite a bite but is beginning to soften. It will rapidly finish at this point.

Add a final ladle or two—I use a 2 oz ladle—and allow it to absorb halfway. At this point, you'll know what you're looking for. Remove from the heat and allow to rest.

Finish with 1 cup or more of the grated Reggiano Parmigiano and about a Tbsp of very finely grated zest of the lemon, plus a squeeze of the juice—season for salt and black pepper, and set aside.

Start by cooking the sole garlic clove in ¼ cups of olive oil over low to medium heat in a large cast iron or stainless steel saute pan.

When the garlic clove begins to turn a light chestnut brown, add the ramps and work them with tongs, coating them in the oil. They will bulge and pop, and the aromatics of the ramps will overwhelm your senses.

It is perhaps one of the most amazing smells.

Sprinkle it with salt and chili and fry for an additional 30 seconds. The ramps should be wilted and have some color but not dead. Remove from heat.

Remove the ramps from the pan and add at least one-half stick of butter and the morels. Return to medium-low heat.

Patience is paramount when properly cooking wild mushrooms.

First, you will see the water from the mushrooms pour out of them, creating a bit of a confusing liquid. Do not worry; this water will cook off.

When the water has cooked off, reduce the heat all the way to low. The fat will now slowly fry the mushrooms. Turn them often, coating them and cooking them evenly. This will take between 15 and 20 minutes, but longer is better.

Just before you are finished, hit them with a dash (BAM!)(j/k) of fish sauce and allow it to caramelize. Remove from heat and add a Tbsp of cold butter to the pan, allowing it to coat the mushrooms slowly and evenly. This is referred to as buerre monte, or to “mount with butter.”

Now, traditionally, each of these items would be served separately in courses or family-style.

But my love and appreciation for the Minnesotan tradition of a one-plate “supper” led me to first serve this to a friend, beautifully arranged, as one.

Let your creativity flow, and your lovelight shine. Plate them uniquely to you, or serve family-style for a more interactive experience.

You now have the quintessential Northern Minnesotan-foraged meal.

Love and Light -Steven