We just couldn't resist driving up to Seattle to the Puget Sound Mycological Society's annual show this year. The program was very enticing, featuring Debbie Viess (Biologist, Contributing Editor to Fungi Magazine, Amanitaceae Expert and Co-Founder of the Bay Area Mycological Society), Dr. Britt Bunyard (Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Fungi Magazine) and Taylor Lockwood (World Renowned Fungi Photographer and Author). What a treat it would be to hear their presentations, we thought...and it was!
In honor of the show, which was fabulous, we've chosen a recipe from the PSMS cookbook, Wild Mushroom Recipes, published in 1973, for our November Recipe of the Month. It's a lovely dish to serve at home or at potlucks. And, with the abundance of golden chanterelles this year, I think that we are all looking for ways to incorporate more mushrooms into our dishes!
2010 is the year of the Golden Chanterelle.
Chanterelle Eclairs
Dough Ingredients
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Grated Parmesan cheese
Filling Ingredients
1/4 cup diced raw bacon
1 small onion, chopped
4 cups mushrooms, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
Paprika
1 cup chopped cooked ham
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Dough: Bring water to a boil. Add butter. Remove from heat and add flour sifted with cornstarch all at once. Stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate. Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. After the dough has cooled, add the baking powder. With a spoon or a pastry bag, drop the dough, walnut size, 2 inches apart on a great baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool puffs on a rack.
Filling: Heat skillet. Add bacon and chopped onions. Saute until onion becomes transparent. Add the mushrooms, salt and paprika. Cook 15 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add chopped ham and bread crumbs. Cook another 5 minutes. Reserve.
Assembly: Cut puffs in half and fill with mushroom-meat mix. These make nice hors d'oeuvres. They may be made larger and served with a sauce for a luncheon dish.