When I ventured out into the woods for the first time after coming home to the Czech Republic for the holidays, I was very excited to find troves of yellowfoot chanterelles (Craterellus tubaeformis) growing in the moss. I haven't found them in a while, let alone in plentiful numbers to be able to make one of my favorite mushroom dishes that my grandma used to make: the Yellowfoot Chanterelle Goulash! So of course, I foraged them all and made the dish!       

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Craterellus tubaeformis

The excellent edible Craterellus tubaeformis, commonly known as the yellowfoot chanterelle, grows in temperate and cold parts of Europe and Northern America, Russia, as well as in Asia and parts of the Indian subcontinent. 

Description 

Yellowfoot chanterelles are pure mushroom gold! They are yellowish-brown and trumpet-shaped mushrooms found in great numbers late in the mushroom season, thus earning them the common name winter mushroom. They grow in moss and in well-decayed, coarse, woody debris. They are mycorrhizal with conifers, mainly spruce, in Europe, while the western North American species has been shown to make ectomycorrhizal relationships with western hemlock,  douglas-fir, as well as pines and spruces.

They are smaller than the golden chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) and have a dark brown cap and a hollow yellow, waxy stem that is 3-9 cm long and 3-12 mm thick. The caps are up to 7 cm wide and are convex at first, becoming vase-shaped and eventually perforated in the center and sometimes hollow down the middle. Like all chanterelles, it has false gills; they are of lighter color than the cap and widely separated, frequently forked and having cross-veins. 

Craterellus tubaeformis (yellowfoot chanterelle) growing in moss and foraged in a wooden woven basket along with Laccaria amethystina (amethyst deceiver).

A Bit of Taxonomic History 

First described in by Bulliard 1792 as Agaricus cantharelloides, the mushroom was reclassified as Cantharellus tubaeformis by Lundae in 1821. Recent molecular phylogenetics has shown that C. tubaeformis deserves a reclassification from Cantharellus to Craterellus, so the currently accepted name is Craterellus tubaeformis as defined by Lucien Quélet in 1888. There is much taxonomic controversy in North America, as there may be up to a dozen of similar species and there's much to be studied to reconcile the molecular biology and morphology of those similar species. See Tom Volk's Craterellus tubaeformis for more info.

Identification Recap

• Grows in large groups in moss, especially in well-decayed, coarse, and woody debris.
• Has a brown cap, greyish false gills, and a waxy yellow stem.

Taste & Edibility

Yellowfoot chanterelles have a milder, less fruity taste than golden chanterelles. Their odor is not distinctive. Because they retain their texture very well, yellowfoot chanterelles are great for cooking, frying, pickling, drying, as well as freezing. 

Yellowfoot Chanterelle Goulash

Inspired by my grandma, this dish is made with foraged yellowfoot chanterelles (Craterellus tubaeformis) that grow abundantly in winter months, making it the perfect comfort food for a quick dinner. Like traditional goulash, this is a rich stew that is best eaten with homemade rye bread. 

This recipe is inspired by my grandma, who got the recipe from her friend, a local forester and gamekeeper. 

Disclaimer

Please be extremely careful cooking and eating foraged mushrooms. Never eat a mushroom that you are not 100% sure of its ID. The best way to learn how to identify and forage for edible mushrooms in your area is to join a local mushroom club or go with a trusted mushroom identifier or a mycologist. Then, even if you are 100% sure of its ID and know it's an edible mushroom, always try small quantities of a new mushroom first before eating a large batch to make sure it sits with you well. Eat at your own risk. 

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp ghee 
• 1  medium onion (diced)
• 4 cloves of garlic (pressed)
• 1 tbsp caraway seeds
• 3 tbsp sweet paprika
• couple of drops of apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 lb (700 g) yellowfoot chanterelles (whole)
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 2 cups (0.5 l) chicken stock
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) cream
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Melt 2 tbsp of ghee in a heavy-based saucepan on medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté, stirring until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the pressed garlic, caraway seed and sweet paprika. Sauté, stirring frequently for about 1 minute, then add a couple of drops of apple cider vinegar to prevent the paprika from burning and losing its color.

Research Sources

• Craterellus tubaeformis by Michael Kuo, MushroomExpert.com, February 2015.
• Craterellus tubaeformis (Fr.) Quél. 1888, Species Fungorum, Retrieved December 2020.
• Craterellus tubaeformis: The Yellow Foot Trumpet Chanterelle Mushroom, Healing Mushrooms, Retrieved December 2020.
• Craterellus tubaeformis — Tubies, in honor of mushroom forays and fairs in California by Tom Volk, TomVolkFungi.net, January 2008.
• Liška nálevkovitá by Mykoweb.cz, Retrieved December 2020.
• Velký Fotoatlas Hub z Jižních Čech by Tomáš Papoušek (Editor), 2004.
• Velký Atlas Hub by Ladislav Hagara, Vladimír Antonín, Jiří Baier, Ottovo Nakladatelství 2005. 

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