Puffballs
Calvatia, Calbovista, Lycoperdon
Puffballs come in many sizes, some as small as a marble
and some as large as a basketball. The name "puffball" is used here
to refer to three genera of fungi, Calvatia, Calbovista, and
Lycoperdon. Their surfaces may be smooth, covered with small or
large warts, or ornamented with spikes. Puffballs are usually white
and round, and are attached to the ground with little or no apparent
stem.
Puffballs seem to prefer disturbed earth, and enjoy surprising
the forager, for they are seldom the prey being sought. The largest
ones are members of the genus Calvatia. It is estimated that the
average mature specimen of C. gigantea contains 7 trillion spores
stored inside the puffball!
Most puffballs are safe to eat, although rare reactions have
been reported. Assuming you have obtained reliable puffballs, you should sitll follow these steps before eating them:
- They must be all-white inside. Any shade of yellow or
purple makes them inedible or upsetting.
- When cut, they must have a uniform internal consistency. The
external appearance of immature Amanita species is similar to
puffballs. However, the cap and gills of these unexpanded mushrooms
become apparent when the egg-shaped fungi are cut in half. The
Amanita genus includes the most poisonous species of mushrooms.
Cleaning
Clean them as necessary and dry on paper towels. Some people
develop intestinal irritation from the outer covering, so peel this
layer with a knife.
Cooking
Some people refer to puffballs as "breakfast mushrooms" because
they blend so well with eggs. But they also serve beautifully as
side dishes with dinner entrees. A thick slab of puffball develops a
lovely golden color when browned in butter. They are often cut into
cubes for cooking.
Dip slices in a batter of egg and milk and cover with bread
crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper. Sauté in butter and serve with
a piquant sauce as the main course for a vegetarian dinner.
Thinly sliced and pan-seared large Calvatias can be used as
crêpes. Rolled around crab meat, tuna, or other fillings, and held
in place with a toothpick, they can be baked for your next party.
Preserving
Chop and sauté them before freezing. The larger species may be
sliced and slightly fried, then frozen for later use as crêpes.
Separate each portion with waxed paper. Dehydrated puffballs can be
powdered for flavoring bland foods.
Parmesan Puffballs
Serves 4 as an appetizer
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Hope Miller is the coauthor of the book Mushrooms in Color . This
is one of her favorite recipes.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flour
- About 1 pound puffballs, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 egg, slightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter or more if needed
- 2 tablespoons oil or more if needed
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Mix the salt with the flour. Dip the mushroom slices in the
flour, then in the egg, and last, in the cheese. Melt the butter and
oil in a sauté pan or skillet and sauté the mushrooms slowly until
golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve at once.
--Hope Miller
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ALTERNATE MUSHROOMS: Boletes, Oyster mushroom
Chicken Baked with Puffballs
Serves 4 as a main course
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- One 2-1/2 to 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 whole garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tablespoons butter or more
- About 1 pound puffballs, peeled and cut into thick slices
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Mix the flour, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a paper bag. Shake
the chicken pieces in the bag one at a time.
In a sauté pan or skillet, sauté the chicken in the oil until
brown. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and arrange them in a
baking dish. Add the wine to the sauté pan and let it boil for 2
or 3 minutes. Pour the wine over the chicken. Add the garlic cloves
to the dish, cover, and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350º oven.
While the chicken bakes in the oven, add the butter to the same
pan and sauté the puffballs. Toss and gently coat the mushrooms
in butter for 7 to 10 minutes or until they turn brown. Add more
butter if necessary.
Remove the chicken from the oven and skim off the fat. Add
the mushrooms. Cover and continue to bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer.
--Louise Freedman
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ALTERNATE MUSHROOMS: Common Store Mushroom, Oyster Mushroom
Puffballs with Scallops and Broccoli
Serves 4 as a main course
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Any shellfish or white-fleshed fish may be used in this dish. Serve
over hot rice.
- One 4-inch puffball
- 1 cup mild vegetable oil
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 pound broccoli
- 3/4 pound scallops
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
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Peel the puffball and cut it into large pieces. In a sauté
pan or skillet, heat the oil to almost smoking (400º). Dip the
puffballs a handful at a time for 15 seconds in a large amount of
water with a pinch of salt added. Shake the water off the puffballs
and toss them into the hot oil. Fry on all sides until golden brown.
Remove the puffballs and drain on paper towels.
In a large saucepan, mix the chicken broth and wine. Reduce the
liquid to half the volume by boiling rapidly. Remove and set aside.
Pour out all but 1 teaspoon of the oil from the pan used to fry
the puffballs. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and stir-fry
in the pan for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Dust the scallops with the flour. In a sauté pan or skillet,
sauté the scallops in the butter and lemon juice until lightly
browned. Add the broth and wine mixture and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the cream and simmer to thicken. Add the puffballs and the
broccoli. Cook 1 minute more to warm the dish. Season to taste
and serve immediately.
--Shea Moss, from If You Can't Eat Your Mushroom Take It Dancing
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ALTERNATE MUSHROOMS: Common Store Mushroom, Oyster Mushroom
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