3053. PUFFBALL, LOBSTER MUSHROOM and BACON FRITTATA

serves 6-8


1 1/2 cups puffballs, halved or quartered if large
1 heaping cup lobster mushrooms, sliced (discard any brown-fleshed pieces)
1 tablespoons bacon fat
1 tablespoons butter
salt
several pinches Herbes de Provence
7 medium eggs (5-6 jumbo)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
6 strips maple bacon, cooked until firm and roughly chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a frying pan on low medium heat, sauté puffballs and lobster mushrooms with bacon fat, butter, salt, and several pinches Herbes de Provence. Cook until mushrooms are soft throughout, and begin to turn a caramel golden brown, at least ten minutes. Set aside. Heat an oiled cast iron skillet (9-10″) over low medium heat. Add additional butter, bacon fat, or olive oil to coat the pan if needed. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk, two minutes. And the reserved mushrooms. Add cheese, bacon, onion, salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence, and mix well. Pour mixture into cast iron skillet when it is heated, and cook for 5-7 minutes. Occasionally run a spatula across the bottom of the pan in a figure-8 motion, to prevent the egg mixture from sticking, and to more quickly distribute heat. When mixture starts to bubble through to the top (about the same time that a turn of the spatula reveals a large chunk of cooked egg), transfer pan to the oven. Bake for 12-16 minutes more, until frittata is cooked through. Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Emma, of agates and madeleines, September 24, 2012

1935. PUFFBALL FRITTERS with SOFT-BOILED EGGS and BACON

yields four


2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 slices bacon
4 slices puffball mushroom about 1/2" thick
2 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt & pepper
100 grams bread crumbs
4 whole eggs
salt and pepper for seasoning
olive oil for frying
salad leaves lightly dressed

Chop the bacon into thick matchsticks and fry in a little olive oil until crispy. Throw in the chopped garlic and fry until it starts to take colour. Remove the garlicky bacon and put on kitchen paper.

Bring the four whole eggs to the boil in a small pan of cold water and boil them for just 4 minutes to get soft-boiled eggs.

Dip the puffball slices in the beaten egg, then coat well in the breadcrumbs. Fry in the same oil left from frying the bacon (with perhaps a little extra added), turning once until crispy and golden brown.

Drain each slice quickly on kitchen paper, then place on warmed plates. Peel the soft boiled eggs carefully and cut them in half. Place two halves, yolk upwards, on each fritter and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle over the garlicky bits of bacon.

Serve with a few dressed salad leaves on the side.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Big Oven