Shaggy Mane Quiche Food

SHAGGY MANE INK

Steps:

• Clean the shaggy manes, rinsing or washing if needed, especially if they were growing in a sandy area. Allow the mushrooms to dry between two layers of paper towels for a few minutes to weep water. Chop the shaggy manes, then put into a non-reactive container with a tight fitting lid.
• If it's cold outside, leave the mushrooms in their container on the counter, if it's warm, put them in the fridge*. Allow the mushrooms to deliquesce and macerate in their own juices, stirring with a clean spoon at least once a day, until the mixture is juicy, inky, and black.
• The process will take a few days, longer if they're refrigerated. When the mixture is black, goey, and scary looking to your liking, sweat the garlic and shallot in a small sauce pot for a few minutes until translucent.
• Add the splash of wine, then the shaggy mane goop, heat through and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat down to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
• If the shaggy mane goop looks dry, add a little water.
• Using a handblender, puree the mixture, drizzling in the oil, adding a spoonful of water if needed to help the blades move.
• Transfer the shaggy mane puree to a container and refrigerate for up to a week, freeze, or make into compound butter and freeze for long term storage.

HAM AND SPINACH QUICHE

Steps:

• Pulse together the flour, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Add about a 1/3 of the chilled butter cubes and process until the butter is absorbed. Add the remaining butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas, 5 or 6 pulses. Add the vinegar. Then, pulsing quickly a few times as you do it, add the ice water through the tube. Squeeze some dough between your fingers; it should just hold its shape without feeling wet. If it is crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time. Pulse quickly; do not overwork or the dough will be tough. Wrap the dough loosely in a large piece of plastic wrap, then firmly press and flatten the dough into a thin round. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Lightly dust a work surface with flour, roll the dough out into an 11- to 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Center the dough in a 9-inch pie plate, with an even overhang all around. Fold the edges and flute or crimp. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Press a piece of foil over the chilled crust, fill with pie weights, raw beans or rice. Bake to set the crust, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the crust is light brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly before adding the filling.
• Adjust the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the onion evenly into the crust. Combine the cheese, ham and spinach in a small bowl and sprinkle it in an even layer over the onion.
• Whisk together the half and half, parsley, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
• Pour the custard over the filling and bake until the quiche is set, 35 to 50 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.

.SHAGGY MANE MUSHROOM RECIPE

Steps:

• Admire the structural delicacy of this stately mushroom, balanced precariously atop its tall, slender white stem. The long white bell-shaped cylindrical cap is covered with large shaggy buff, tan or brown scales, giving it the appearance of a British lawyer's wig. This is why one of its common names is "lawyer's wig." The spores are black. When young, a dainty annular ring is found around the stem; this ring drops down the stem as the mushroom matures. Within twenty-four to forty-eight hours, the borders of the cap begin to liquefy, and the entire cap is converted into a pool of inky black fluid, the origin of the common name "inky cap." Liquefied Coprinus comatus was used as writing ink in George Washington's day. Despite its seemingly frail appearance, this mushroom can generate enough power to perform one of nature's most astonishing weight-lifting acts. Emerging shaggy mane caps may lift asphalt pavement into the air in segments, fragmenting it in the process. They do this by gradually absorbing water and slowly expanding, exerting upward pressure far out of proportion to their fragile substance. This mushroom contributes its unique robust flavor to some of the tastiest wild-mushroom dishes, such as chicken Tetrazzini and shaggy mane cream soup. For the finest flavor it must be consumed before it begins to liquefy. Eating the dissolving mushroom is not harmful, but the cooked remnants will be slimy and less flavorful than those with solid flesh. Vietnamese villagers invert them in the hollows of empty egg cartons to prevent liquefaction in order to transport them. This allows them to survive for a few days longer. Fortunately, Coprinus comatus often fruits in large numbers, affording the collector the opportunity to gather mainly young and unliquefied specimens. Coprinus micaceus ("mica cap") is a smaller, tawny yellow to reddish-brown member of this genus. In some parts of the country, it is more abundant than the shaggy mane. It is occasionally found growing in clumps from under protective rocks or logs. With a hand lens, shiny, angular, granular crystals may be seen at the apex of the cap. These particles resemble mica, from which the mushroom derives its name. C. micaceus can be used as a substitute for C. comatus, but it is not as flavorsome. Some people eat C. atramentarius, a close relative of the shaggy mane. This mushroom contains a chemical called coprine, a substance which acts like the medicine Antabuse. As a rule, when alcoholic beverages of any sort are drunk before or after eating these mushrooms, one becomes quite uncomfortable. • Cleaning: Using your fingers or a soft brush and as little water as possible, very gently clean the mushrooms of dirt and debris. Water hastens their deterioration, so they should be cooked immediately. Careful collecting and gentle handling are essential to keep them intact. • Cooking: Do not cut these mushrooms into small pieces. The tissues are tender and the Coprinus cooks quickly. Sauté it in butter with chopped onions, salt and pepper, and add it to soup or pasta. Much liquid is released from the mushrooms when they are heated. Pouring off the fluid for later use will speed up the cooking process. Its unique aromatic taste is transferred to the other foods and liquid with which it is prepared. Dairy dishes, soups, pasta, and poultry pick up its savoriness exceptionally well. • Preserving: After sautéing for 3 to 5 minutes, place in containers for freezing. Most of their flavor is lost when shaggy manes are dried.

SHAGGY MANE QUICHE

Steps:

• See above.