Parasol Recipes

FRIED PARASOL MUSHROOMS

It looks like a huge omelette.

	4	Large Parasol (15cm diameter) caps
	3	Eggs
	2 tbsp	Parsley - Finely Chopped 
	2 tbsp	Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
		Breadcrumbs - for coating
		Oil - for shallow frying
		Salt and Black Pepper

Beat the eggs with parsley, salt, pepper and the Parmesan cheese. Dip the caps in this mixture and then coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs. Fry each cap in oil over a moderate heat until golden on both sides.

Serve with fresh bread and salad.

• Preparation - 10
• Cooking - 25
• Feeds - 4
• Region - Italy
• Source - [3]

STUFFED PARASOL CAPS

The size and shape of the parasol lends itself to stuffing. In this recipe the stuffing is a cheesy béchamel sauce so the caps need to be young enough to still have a cup shape. (Older specimens have plate shaped caps and this sauce would run off during cooking.)

	30g	Smoked Ham sliced thick
	80ml	Garden Peas
	4	Small parasol caps (5/6cm)
	15g	Unsalted Butter
	15g	Flour
	125ml	Milk
	30ml	Grated Gruyere
	30ml	Grated Parmesan
		Grated Nutmeg
		Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat Oven to 180°C. Melt butter in a sauce pan then add the flour stirring into a smooth paste. Add the milk in spurts, resmoothing the sauce every time. Once boiling cook for 5 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheeses when melted and smooth add the peas and ham. The caps need to remain upright during baking. Find an oven proof dish that will take them snugly. If you don't have one that size, cut the tops flat so they stand up. The 'plug' that's removed can be placed back inside to help stop the sauce leaking during cooking. Fill caps with sauce and bake for 30-40 minutes.

To help keep everything together the original recipe suggested making a 'nest' from a 20cm piece of baking paper for each cap during baking.

Serve with new potatoes and vegetables in season

• Preparation - 30
• Cooking - 40
• Feeds - 4
• Region - ?
• Source - DK