MUSHROOMS AND OTHER COMMON FUNGI. 61 



Cream op Mushroom Soup. 



Stow caps and sterna cut in small pieces for an hour or longer; run through a colander, 

 add cream or milk, thicken with (lour, add butter, salt, and pepper. Pour in bouillon 

 cups and serve with whipped cream on top. 



Salads. 



For salads many mushrooms can be used raw (after being peeled), especially species 

 of Coprinus and Clavaria and all puffballs. Tougher plants can be stewed, drained, 

 and chilled before adding the dressing, which may be either a mayonnaise or French 

 dressing of oil with vinegar or lemon juice. Serve on lettuce. 



Mushroom Patties. 



Cut the mushrooms into small pieces, cook slowly in butter until tender, add cream 

 or milk, pepper, and salt, and thicken with flour. Fill the reheated patty shells. 



Under the Glass Cover, or Bell, with Cream. 



With a small biscuit cutter, cut rounds from slices of bread; they should be about 

 2\ inches in diameter and about half an inch in thickness. Cut the stems close to 

 the gills from fresh mushrooms; wash and wipe the mushrooms. Put a tablespoonful 

 of butter in a saucepan; when hot, throw in the mushrooms, skin side down; cook 

 just a moment, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. After the rounds of bread have 

 been slightly toasted, arrange them in the bottom of a bell dish and heap the mush- 

 rooms on them; put a little piece of butter in the center; cover over the bell, which is 

 either of glass, china, or silver; stand them in a baking pan, and then in the oven 

 for 20 minutes. While these are cooking, mix a tablespoonful of butter and one of 

 flour in a saucepan, add either a half pint of milk or a gill of milk and a gill of chicken 

 stock; stir until it boils, then add a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. 

 When the mushrooms have been in the oven the allotted time, bring them out; lift 

 the cover, pour over quickly a little of this sauce, cover again, and send them at once 

 to the table. 



Mushrooms in Paper Bags. 



Cut the steins close, sprinkle lightly with salt, and lay in a well-greased bag together 

 with a big teaspoonful of butter rolled in flour and half a cupful of rich cream. Seal 

 and cook 12 minutes in a hot oven. {Emma Paddock Telford. Standard Paper-Bag 

 Cookery, p. 93.) 



Suggestions for Certain Species. 



armillaria mellea. 



While not one of the best edible species, it is excellent fried and served on toast 

 and also is quite good stewed. 



CANTHARELLUS CIBARIUS (CHANTERELLE STEW). 



This mushroom, being of rather tough consistency, requires long and slow cooking. 



"Cut the mushrooms across and remove the stems; put them into a closely covered 

 saucepan, with a little fresh butter, and sweat them until tender at the lowest possi- 

 ble temperature. A great heat always destroys the flavor." — Mrs. Hussey. (W. 

 Hamilton Gibson. Our Edible Toadstools and Mushrooms and How to Distinguish 

 Them, p. 310.) 



COPRINUS. 



Species of Coprinus are very delicate, and Coprinus micaceus is considered the 

 most digestible of all mushrooms. They are good steamed 5 minutes and served 

 with butter and white sauce. 



Species of Coprinus are also delicious baked with cheese. Butter a baking dish 

 and put in a layer of mushrooms, bread crumbs, cheese grated (or cut in small pieces), 

 and season with pepper and salt. Repeat the process once or twice according to the 

 amount to be prepared, adding a few small lumps of butter to the last layer. Bake 

 15 to 20 minutes. 



