Foraging & Cooking: Fried Puffball Mushrooms! (January 2022)

I FOUND PUFF MUSHIES! Growing in a fairy ring no less…

In January I found my very first puffball mushrooms.

Specifically Lycoperdon perlatum, these mushrooms are ones I confidently identified based on their white/tan color, their spherical top and overall pear-like shape, and their distinguishing gem-like spines.

I confidently identified them as SAFE TO EAT based on their TOTALLY WHITE interior. Any discoloration would have let me know that they were past their prime and no longer safe for consumption.

I brought a handful of these mushrooms home and sliced em, battered & fried em, and then served em up with a spicy mayo.

Super simple and satisfying!

FRIED PUFFBALLS

• Puffball mushrooms, sliced
• Flour
• egg
• Seasoning (salt, pepper, paprika, celery powder….whatever you want)
• Herbs/veg (scallion, sorrel… whatever you want)
• Corn starch
• Cooking oil

SPICY MAYO

• Mayo
• Spicy sauce of choice (In this case, Sriracha)

I am not the best at exact ratios when it comes to whipping up a fry batter, but I’d say roughly 1 cup flour per 2 eggs. You want a dense/thick-ish, smooth batter. Add to the batter a mixture of seasoning based on your own preferences. I like to do salt, pepper, paprika, and celery powder. I’d probably add garlic powder too if I had it around. I also added some chopped greenery, namely sorrel and scallions.

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Prepare a frying pan with oil over high heat.

Toss the slices of mushrooms in flour or corn starch, then into the batter, then back into the flour/ corn starch, then back into the batter, and then into the ripping hot frying pan. This allows the batter to really stick to the mushrooms. I’ve seen people do this many ways (dries to wets to pan, dries to wets to dries to pan….) everyone has their own method but this one works best for me.

Cook in the pan until each side is golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel to soak up excess oil. season with extra salt and pepper.

I wasn’t feeling particularly bougie, so for this recipe I just quickly mixed up some store bought mayo and sriracha to dip the fried mushrooms in. Cant go wrong with it.

I garnished with scallions and sorrel.