Golden Saute

1. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Be sure to use a skillet that allows the mushrooms to spread out, without being overcrowded, and gives you room to easily turn them over. Add a little olive oil to the skillet, too, if you wish, but don’t skimp on the butter. This is one time when you want to forget about calories in favor of flavor. Fortify this basic sauté with a few quick dashes of balsamic vinegar or soy sauce, if you wish.

2. Place the mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer. Sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. Add some minced garlic to the skillet, if you like.

3. Cook the mushrooms for about six minutes total, turning them over at the three-minute mark. When finished, the mushrooms should be a light to medium brown. As they glisten with hot butter, this is the time to season the chanterelles, so sprinkle them with more salt or your favorite herb.

Golden Standard

1. Cook some bacon or Canadian bacon in a skillet. Just as it begins to turn brown, drain most of the fat and add some chopped onion to the skillet. A regular white onion will work fine, but you might enjoy a sweet Vidalia or red onion even more.

2. Push the bacon and onion to one end of the skillet to make room for the chanterelles and a little minced garlic, if you wish. Place the mushrooms in a single layer in the skillet and season them with salt and pepper. Cook them for about three minutes on one side. Turn them over and cook them for another three minutes on the other side.

3. Lower the heat and stir the bacon, onion and the mushrooms together. Sprinkle in some dried parsley. Add a few spoonfuls of sour cream to the skillet and stir the ingredients together, heating them through. Chanterelles are sturdy mushrooms that will hold up well with these ingredients and the stirring. Alternatively, do not add the sour cream to the skillet and instead use it as a dipping sauce, of sorts, for spoonfuls of mushrooms, bacon and onion.