The household cook book

MUSHROOMS EN RAGOUT — Put into a sauce=pan a little "stock," vinegar, parsley, salt, spices, and green onions chopped up; when about to boil put in the cleaned mushrooms; when done till tender, remove from the fire and thicken with yolks of eggs. MUSHROOMS ON TOAST — Put 2 cups mushrooms into a stew-pan with 2 oz. butter rolled in flour; add 1 teaspoon salt, ^ teaspoon each of white pepper and grated lemon peel and a blade of powdered mace; stew until the butter is absorbed and the mushrooms tender. Serve at once on toast. Garnish with lemon. CANNED MUSHROOMS.— Take 1 can mushrooms, add 2 teaspoons melted butter with flour and salt; heat in a double boiler thoroughly. Stir in 1 beaten egg and 3 tablespoons of cream just before serving. Our Colored Illustrations. Fig. I — The Morel (Morchella esculenta). This mushroom is found in April and May in grassy places on the borders of fields and the raised banks of streams, sometimes in fir or chestnut forests and in hilly countries. Cooking them. (1) Eemove the butt of the stem and wash and dry carefully. Cut large ones in small pieces, and split small ones. Pour on boiling water, set on stove 5 minutes and then drain. Then gently stew 1 hour in a little water; then add a little soup stock, pepper, salt and butter, and onion if liked, and cook a few minutes. Serve on buttered toast. Garnish with slices of lemon. (2) Fill them with a forcemeat of seasoned bread and wrap them in thin slices of salt pork or bacon ; bake in the oven 30 to 40 minutes, or slowly stew 1 hour in good broth, (3) Escallop them as directed above for mushrooms. Fig. 2 — Meadow Mushroom {Agaricus campestris). This variety grows in open grassy places in fields and rich pastures, but never in thick woods. They are fall mushrooms. Cooking. (1) To fry, scald a few seconds, dry with a cloth, dredge with flour seasoned with salt and pepper, and fry 5 or 6 minutes in smoking . hot fat. Serve hot. (2) They can be boiled and then they make desirable additions to soups, gravies, ragouts, etc. (3) Stewed with butter, spice, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice and sweet herbs it goes well with steak or mutton chops. (4) Escallop as directed above for mushrooms. (5) It makes a fine catsup. Fig. 3. — Chanterelle {Cantharellus cibarious). This variety is generally found in light woods and high situations, and it grows in great abundance. For cooking, choose crisp, heavy ones rather than light soft ones, as they are less likely to become leathery. They are sometimes soaked in milk over night to make them tender. To stew, cut them across and remove the stems; put them into a closely covered saucespan, with a little butter, and stew till tender at the lowest possible temperature; great heat destroys the flavor. As they are rather dry and tough, long, slow stewing is needed, with plenty of liquid. Fig. 4. — Hedgehog or Spine Mushroom {Hydnum repandum). This is the most desirable species of the genus Hydnum. It may be stewed in brown or white sauce, cooking slowly and for a long time; as it is naturally deficient in moisture keep well supplied with liquid. This species is easily i3reserved and may be kept a long time. Fig. 5. — Horse Mushroom {Agaricus avensts). This variety is found in the fields and pastures in autumn. Its flesh is firm ami delicious and yields an abundant gravy.