Remove the stems, wash the caps, place in a covered saucepan and simmer for thirty minutes, adding sufficient water to prevent scorching; add a little milk or cream, butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Or, simply fry in butter, make a gravy and season to taste.
To Dry.—String the caps on threads and loop up in a dry place, and when thoroughly dry place in tight glass jars or tin cases.
TO COOK THE MORELL—MORCHELLA (from Persoon).
1. Having washed and cleansed them from the earth which is apt to collect between the plaits or hollows of the plant, dry thoroughly in a napkin and put them into a saucepan with pepper, salt and parsley, adding or not a piece of ham. Stew for an hour, pouring in occasionally a little broth to prevent burning. When sufficiently done, bind with the yolks of two or three eggs and serve on buttered toast.
2. Morelles a l'Italienne.—Having washed and dried, divide them across, put them on the fire with some parsley, scallion, chevril, burnet, tarragon, chives, a little salt, and two spoonfuls of fine oil. Stew till the juices run out, then thicken with a little flour; serve with bread crumbs and a squeeze of lemon juice.
PÂTÉS.
The toadstools good for croquettes and pâtés are such as the Puff-balls, Lactarii, Gomphidius rhodoxanthus, Fistulina hepatica, Tricholoma personatum and many others of the meaty kinds. Cut the toadstools into small pieces, cook slowly until tender, adding butter, pepper and salt. Let them cook almost dry, then add cream or milk and thickening. Fill pastry shells and serve.
McIlvaine.
A pretty effect is produced by dipping the rims of the shells in partially beaten white of egg, then in finely-chopped parsley before filling.