The Mushroom Season

New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 871, 13 April 1956, Page 32

The Mushroom Season

T is a good idea during the mushroom season to keep a billy or basket in the back of the car in case you pass a paddock studded with them, being very particular, of course, about not damaging gates or fences! I looked up some information about the food value of mushrooms. It appears they are quite high in calories. in the proportion of 119 to 125, as compared with carrots; contain more protein than carrots (19 to 5), but are beaten by carrots in carbohydrates, being only 8 to 43. Mushrooms also have some Vitamin D.

If your mushrooms are quite fresh and tender you need not quite peel them-just wash and brush carefully with a soft brush. Cut a little slice off the stem and use the rest. Add a few mushrooms to your stewed. steak and kidney-they transform it. Dried Mushrooms Any broken ones can be included in a batch for drying. They are excellent for flavouring meat pies or pudding or soups. Just skin them and spread on a tray or dish, put in a coolish oven (regulo 1 or 150 degrees) and leave the door ajar to allow for the free circulation of air. Leave till they are dry and shrivelled. Put them into paper bags, tie up and hang in a dry place.

Mushrooms Fried or Broiled We are generally quite happy to fry a big pan-full of mushrooms in butter; or to fry some bacon first and then fry the mushrooms in the bacon-fat; but there is a delightful way of broiling them. Just put them rounded side down in a big shallow dish.,In the upturned cavity of each put half a teaspoon of butter, sprinklé with pepper, salt, and a dash of nutmeg. Add a drop or two of lemon juice. Brush the surface with melted butter, and cook at the top of a fairly hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes. They could also be grilled under the griller. Mushroom Souffle Three tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 4% teaspoon salt, few

grains paprika, 1 cup milk or soup stock, 1 cup chopped cooked mushrooms, caps and stems, 3 eggs. Blend the butter, flour and seasonings; add the milk or stock; stir constantly until boiling. Stir in the mushrooms first sauteed three minutes in one tablespoon melted butter, add the egg yolks well beaten, and then fold in the egg whites whipped | stiff. Turn into an oiled baking dish, or i ramekins, and bake 20 to 30 minutes in | @ moderate oven, 350 degrees. Serve at once, Mushroom Croquettes (American) Two cups finely-chopped, peeled mushrooms, 142 cups cooked rice (brown rice is good), 2 egg yolks, 4% cup very thick brown sauce (see below), ¥% teaspoon salt, 42 teaspoon onion juice. Combine the ingredients in the order given; take tablespoonfuls and shape into balls or cylinders; roll in fine dry breadcrumbs, dip in an egg slightly beaten with ™% cup milk, cover with more breadcrumbs; and fry in deep fat, preferably tegetable fat or oil (350 degrees), hot enough to brown a bit of bread in a minute. Serve with Brown Sauce, made thus: Melt 112 tablespoons butter and wien browning stir in 114 tablespoons flour. Cook until pale brown, stirring; add a tablespoon each of. minced carrot and onion, then 142 cups of soup stock, any kind, stirring constantly. Season witn pepper and salt and a few grains of nutmeg, add a sprig of parsley, sweet mar-

joram or thyme, and simmer minutes. Strain and use as desired Mushroom Soup (American) You need only a quarter to half a pound of mushrooms for this. If fresh, do not peel them-just wash, them and chop them finely. Simmer for 5 minutes in 1 tablespoon of butter, with 1 tablespdon of minced onion, and 2 tablespoons of minced celery. Add 2 cups of canned chicken broth, or fresh broth, or even veal broth, and simmer for 10 minutes. Make a white sauce with 2 tablespoons butter melted in a saucepan. Add. 2 tablespoons of flour, stir till smooth; then add 2 cups cold milk, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, till smooth and thickened. Add the mushroom mixture, heat and serve. You may strain it if you like, Mushroom Soup (N.Z.) Half pound mushrooms, 1 cup water, 142 cups milk, butter size of a walnut, pepper and salt, 1 dessertspoon cornflour Skin or peel mushrooms, and break in small pieces. Put in saucepan with the water, and simmer till tender. about 15 minutes. Then add milk, butter. pepper and salt, and cornflour previously mixed with a little milk. Bring to the boil, letting it thicken, and stirring to prevent it sticking. Mushroom Dainties Fry 4% lb. mushrooms in butter. Then chop very fine and mix with 2 table. spoons of breadcrumbs already moistened with top milk, season with pepper

and salt, cayenne and a dash of grated cheese. Have ready some half rashers of bacon. Spread these with the mushroom mixture, roll up neatly and fasten with tiny wooden skewers. Flour them slightly and fry in hot butter (or good fat). Serve on fried bread or toast. Stewed Mushrooms They may. be gently simmered in milk, or milk and water, till tender, then thickened with cornflour and a good knob of butter added; or done this way: Remove skins and stalks from 1 lb. mushrooms. Melt 2 oz. butter in a

saucepan, add juice of half a lemon, put | in the mushrooms, season with pepper and salt, cover and cook gently for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Mix a tablespoon flour with a breakfast cup of milk, pour this inte saucepan, stir and simmer for a few minutes till blended and _ thickened. Serve with hot toast. Mushrooms with Eggs (French) Prepare a pound of mushrooms-if large, cut in halves or quarters. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, or 2 oz. butter, in a saucepan, add a little chopped parsley and a chopped shallot, fry for a few minutes; then add the mushrooms, pepper and salt to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, shaking saucepan occasionally. Then sprinkle with a tablespoon of flour, edd a wineglass of white wine and 12 wineglass of water. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add 4 hard-boiled eggs, cut in quarters or slices, and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve very‘hot as a vegetable course by itself, or as a vegetable with the meat course.