COOKLORE


Mushrooms



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Puffball Pancakes





1925



Prepare a batter as for ordinary pancakes and into this put the puffballs, chopped fine. Fry in butter, after browning and eat with maple syrup.



Fried Puffballs





1925



Let frying pan get slightly warm, but not hot. Cut mushroom into inch slices, then cubes. Put these into frying pan and cover. Allow mushrooms to steam in their own moisture (without adding water) for fifteen minutes. Heat should be moderate. Then, remove the cover, add 1 Tbsp of butter or bacon grease, or a bit of both, just to cover the bottom of the pan. Turn up the heat and cook while stirring for 25-30 minutes, frying until they become dark brown. Add salt and serve.



Puffballs





1929



Miss Elizabeth E. Morse, University of California: “Puffballs constitute a most desirable and delicious food. It is to be regretted that they are appreciated by so few people. No one has ever experienced any harm from eating puffballs which had been collected when in the growing state; at that time their content is a cream white, and firm like cream cheese. Later, as the plants mature, the content turns olive or purplish-brown. They are not poisonous even then, but they become bitter and unattractive.”


USDA Bulletin 175: “Never use puffballs unless the inner part is perfectly white when sliced. They should be peeled and can then be dressed raw for a salad, stewed with cream and served either in patty shells or on toast, or fried. When fried simply in melted butter, they are fine; or the slices may be dipped in egg and cracker meal before being placed in the frying pan. A cream dressing is a delicious addition to the fried puffballs.”



Fried Morels





1930



To cook morels, simply cut off the stem and cut the morel in half, lengthwise. Make sure it is free from sand or grit, but don’t wash unless absolutely unavoidable. Fry in butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, until tender—just a few minutes is sufficient. Serve on hot buttered toast.



Stuffed Mushrooms





1936



8 large mushrooms

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp minced onion

4 Tbsp bread crumbs

4 Tbsp cream

1/2 tsp parsley, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp white pepper

1/2 cup coarse buttered crumbs


Brush mushrooms clean. Remove stems, and chop stems finely. Peel caps. Melt butter, add onion and chopped stems and cook ten minutes. Add bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, and cream and mix thoroughly. Cook until smooth. Cool. Fill caps with stuffing, rounding up over tops and cover with buttered crumbs. Bake 15 minutes in a hot oven.



Oysters and Mushrooms on Toast





1936



1 pint oysters

4 large mushrooms

3 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp sherry

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Few gratings of nutmeg

Lemon juice


Clean oysters and scald in their on liquid with nutmeg and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Peel and chop mushrooms. Melt butter, add mushrooms, and cook five minutes. Stir in flour, then add oysters in their liquor, stirring constantly. Add seasonings and bring to boiling point. Remove from fire and add egg yolk beaten with sherry and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Serve at once on hot buttered toast.



Creamed Mushrooms





1938



2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup cream

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup boiling water

2 cups mushrooms, canned or fresh


Make a sauce of the butter, flour, cream and seasoning. Prepare mushrooms and if fresh, stew in the boiling water until tender. Cut in medium-sized pieces and add without draining to cream sauce. Serve very hot on toast points. If canned mushrooms are used, substitute 1/4 cup of the liquor for the 1/2 cup boiling water.



Mushroom Sandwich Rolls





1938



Fresh or canned mushrooms may be used in making the rolls. Prepare mushrooms as for frying. Cut up in very small pieces and fry to a golden brown in a little butter. Chop very finely. Cut bread as for ordinary sandwiches (quite thinly), and spread with a little butter. Remove crusts and spread with a little of the mushroom mixture. Roll up and fasten edges with toothpicks. Just before serving, place in a very hot oven to toast to a golden brown. Serve hot.



Mushroom Omelet





1938



1 cup mushrooms

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup milk or cream

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp flour

Plain omelet


Use fresh or canned mushrooms cut into pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the mushrooms, the milk, salt, pepper and flour which has been mixed to a paste with a little cold milk. Cook for five minutes, then set aside until the omelet is made. Spread the mixture over the omelet just before folding.



Oysters and Mushrooms





1943



2 lbs mushrooms

5 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 cup cream

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped and cooked

1 quart oysters

Salt, pepper, and cayenne for seasoning


Peel, stem and cut mushrooms in pieces, then stew slowly in 2 Tbsp butter for 1 hour. Ten minutes before they are done, add 3 more Tbsp butter, and when melted add flour and blend well. Allow mixture to simmer a little longer before adding cream, then add celery and oysters (cut in halves). Add seasoning. Heat oysters, but do not cook.



Cream of Mushroom Soup





1946



8 Tbsp butter

6 Tbsp sifted flour

2 Tbsp chopped onions

1 1/2 to 2 lbs fresh domestic mushrooms, cleaned

2 Tbsp water

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 tsp dried savory

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp soy sauce

Salt to taste


Melt 6 Tbsp butter in pan and gradually stir in flour. Cook over low heat, stirring, 5 minutes. Set aside.


Cook onions in remaining butter in separate saucepan. When onions are transparent, add mushrooms and water. Cover and lower heat. Simmer gently 30 minutes, stirring 2-3 times.


Remove lid from mushrooms, stir in cream and all remaining seasonings except salt. Bring to simmer.


Stir in flour-butter mixture to thicken. Salt to taste. Serve immediately.



Mushroom Pate





1946



2 Tbsp butter

1 lb fresh mushrooms, very finely chopped

1 bunch green onions (white only), finely chopped

1 Tbsp dry sherry

1 large garlic clove, pressed

2 Tbsp minced parsley

2 Tbsp plain yogurt

2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts


Heat butter in frying pan over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms and onions in it, stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes, then add sherry and garlic and cook another 2 minutes.


Remove from heat, allow to cool and transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in parsley and yogurt and chill. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve as an appetizer.



Gratin of Winter Vegetables and Wild Mushrooms





1946



5 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp shallots

1 lb brown trumpet mushrooms

2 oz madeira or cream sherry

3 oz crème fraiche or cream

1 bunch leeks

1/4 cup water

2 lbs rutabagas

1 lb celery root

1/4 cup cream

1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

2 Tbsp bread crumbs

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Salt to taste


Chop mushrooms coarsely, keeping in mind that they will shrink to less than half their size. Sauté them gently in 2 Tbsp butter for about 5 minutes, until nearly dry. Chop shallots finely and add to mushrooms with madeira. Reduce madeira until nearly dry and add cream. Reduce cream by 3/4 and season with salt and pepper. Set mushroom mixture aside.


Cut off the dark green part of the leeks and reserve for other purposes. Split remaining leeks in half and soak in tepid water for 5 minutes. Clean inner layers and cut off root. Chop leek finely and add to 1 quart saucepan with 1 Tbsp butter, a pinch of salt, and a little pepper. Cover tightly and cook on low, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 5 minutes). Set aside.


Peel rutabagas and slice thin. Peel celery root and grate coarsely.


Melt 2 Tbsp butter in saucepan and reserve.


Butter the inside of a 6-inch cheesecake pan and arrange an overlapping circle of rutabaga around outer edge. Continue in a concentric circle until bottom is entirely covered. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs, then add a thin layer of leeks, then a thin layer of celery root, topped with a 1/4 inch layer of chopped mushroom. Smooth mixture with spatula. Begin second layer of rutabaga and other ingredients and repeat until pan is full. Finish with a layer of rutabaga.


Pour 1/4 cup cream over top and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 400 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.


Uncover and test for doneness with long-tined fork. Sprinkle top lightly with bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Dot lightly with butter. Broil in oven until top is golden brown.



Sliced Puffball





1950



Dip puffball slices in pre-seasoned deep, hot fat, spread lightly with butter, and stack 3-4 buttered slices for eating.


Sautéed Wild Mushrooms





1951



Scrub, peel and slice wild mushrooms. Sauté garlic in butter, add mushrooms. Simmer until liquid evaporates. Salt and pepper to taste.



Stuffed Morels





1954



Meat filling: Put 1 lb lean beef through food chopper twice. Mix in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp catsup, 1 Tbsp salad mustard, 2 Tbsp minced onion, and 2 Tbsp fine cracker crumbs.


Placed stuffed morels on rack in baking pan and bake for 30 minutes in moderate oven (350 degrees), basting frequently with melted butter and gravy that comes from the mushrooms and filling. Any leftover stuffing can be formed into a loaf and baked in the same pan with the mushrooms.



Puffball Casserole





1957



Peel puffballs, cut into 1/2-inch slices, dip in beaten egg and milk, then in cracker crumbs and fry to a golden brown on both sides in butter.


Fill casserole with alternate layers of fried puffball, tomato sauce and grated cheddar cheese and bake 20 minutes in moderate (350 degree) oven.



Oyster Mushroom-Celery Bake





1957



Wash the sections of mushroom, trim away any bad spots, then cut into thumbnail-sized pieces. Simmer 3 cups of the pieces in unsalted water for 30 minutes. In another pan cook 2 cups diced celery 15 minutes.


Melt 1/2 stick butter in skillet and sauté 1 small onion, finely chopped, for 3 minutes. Blend in 4 Tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp marjoram, then add 1 1/2 cups milk. Cook until thick, stirring constantly.


Drain mushrooms and celery and mix. Turn into baking dish, cover with sauce, top with 1/3 cup buttered bread crumbs and bake in moderate (350-degree) oven for 20 minutes.



Oyster Mushroom Bisque





1957



Take 2 cups oyster mushrooms, diced, and add to 1 stick of butter melted in large sauce pan. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp minced onion and 3 Tbsp minced celery and simmer 2 minutes longer, then blend in 2 Tbsp flour. Slowly add 3 cups milk, stirring constantly, then 1 can of baby shrimp, drained. Heat thoroughly but do not boil.



Powdered Mushroom





1960



Thoroughly dry small pieces of oyster mushrooms, then grind to a powder.