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EPISODE 876 MARJORIE FINDS A PUFF BALL…AND WE ATE IT
alan skeoch
SEPTEBER 13, 2032
“ALAN, LOOK WHAT I FOUND.”
“ GIANT PUFF BALL…WHERE WAS IT?
“IN THE DITCH…DO YOU THINK IT ’S EDIBLE?”
WE ATE AFEW SKICES IF THIS PUFF BALL
Puff ball mushrooms are very strange. They appear suddenly almost anywhere and
grow immense in short time. And they are edilble but be careful. They are only
edible when very young,,,,when all white. Totally white inside and spongy.
OLD PUFF BALLS LOOK LIKE UGLY VOMIT
No one in their right mind would eve eat an old puffball because they look sick…ugly
internal contents become sickly green … the colour of fresh vomit. Even a
complete fool would not touch a mature puffball. If it is kicked like football
a cloud of spores burst forth. Old puff balls are ghastly.
But young puff balls are as pretty as fresh bread. And look like fresh bread.
They can be sliced like fresh bread using a good sharp bread knife. Use a gentle saw like action.
Peel the thin rubber like crust and the puff ball is ready for the frying pan..
Easiest way to eat a puff ball is to put some butter in the frying pan, then add the slices
of the puff ball. Sprinkle with salt nd pepper. Garlic salt is best…gives best flavour.
Fry until both sides are golden brown or even darker brown.
Then eat the slices like you would French Toast or pan cakes.
What do they taste like? Rather bland. Very bland.
Today Marjorie’s puff ball tased like garlic salt.
alan
Note: Mushroom hunting is tricky.. Some mushrooms are good. Some are bad…very bad.
Fresh puff balls are really good. Old puff balls are disgusting. It’s easy to tell the difference.
SOME OTHER PUFF BALL RECIPES.
You can also cook up large slices of puffball and freeze them to use as the base for wonderful gluten-free pizzas (see below). Or try the convenience of breading the raw puffball with the parmigiana breading below and freeze them. Pull them out later, fry them and bake them for a quick pre-prepared dinner. Puffball Fries freeze up equally well. Pull them out of the freezer and in 15 minutes you’ll have crispy fries to dip in your favourite sauce – a great appetizer or snack.
Cooked puffball has a texture kind of like tofu, but more soft and melting (a bit like a sugarless marshmallow). You can use puffball just like you would tofu and most other mushrooms in recipes. I still have so many ways I’d like to try it, so I hope I find some puffballs again next year.
Try puffball some of these ways:
- diced, sauteed, and added to any pasta sauce
- raw, cubed in salads
- diced, sauteed, then tossed in with chives and beaten eggs as you scramble them
- cut slices, dip them in a mixture of equal parts soy sauce and water, plus a dash of sriracha or hot sauce, then pan-fry them in butter or oil until brown
- cubes, strips, or slices, breaded and fried
- grill or fry thick slabs and use them as a meatless burger on a bun with toppings
- toss them in with stir fries
- sauté cubes of puffball with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning
- use thin slices of sauteed puffball instead of pasta in lasagna
