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Blewits, Shallots & Tarragon

Pair of vibrant purple Blewit mushrooms (Clitocybe nuda or Lepista nuda) growing on a lush green moss-covered surface, with their thick stems and smooth caps contrasting sharply against the bright forest floor.
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Courses:
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 2
Description

This simple, elegant dish is all about showcasing the unique flavor of blewits. With their lovely lilac hue and subtle, earthy aroma, blewits (Clitocybe nuda or Lepista nuda) are a cool-weather mushroom often found in leaf litter or compost piles late into the foraging season. Their delicate flavor pairs beautifully with the sweetness of shallots and the soft anise notes of fresh tarragon.

In this recipe, minimal ingredients let the blewits take center stage. A gentle sauté brings out their best qualities, creating a dish that’s refined yet easy to prepare—perfect as a side or served over toast, pasta, or grains.

Photo by Valeria Loza via iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Ingredients
  • 2 cups blewits (quartered if large, halved or whole if small)
  • 2 teaspoons shallot
  • 2 pinches tarragon
  • salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
  1. 1
    Heat a cast iron or teflon pan.
  2. 2
    Dry saute the blewits until some of the moisture is released.
  3. 3
    Add the oil.
  4. 4
    When the mushrooms are lightly colored, add the shallots, salt, then the tarragon and cook for a minute or two to take the “raw” flavor of them away.
  5. 5
    Finish with the butter.
Note

Alternatives:

Add 3 tablespoons of good white wine or vermouth and cook down.

Or stir in freshly cooked orzo pasta and some pasta water as needed to help thicken.

Blewits seem to generate a thick sauce themselves unlike other mushrooms.

Read it online: https://minnesotamycologicalsociety.org/recipe/blewits-shallots-tarragon/