Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
Seasonable.—Meadow mushrooms in September and October; cultivated mushrooms may be had at any time.
FUNGI.—These are common parasitical plants, originating in the production of copious filamentous threads, called the mycelium, or spawn. Rounded tubers appear on the mycelium; some of these enlarge rapidly, burst an outer covering, which is left at the base, and protrude a thick stalk, bearing at its summit a rounded body, which in a short time expands into the pileus or cap. The gills, which occupy its lower surface, consist of parallel plates, bearing naked sporules over their whole surface. Some of the cells, which are visible by the microscope, produce four small cells at their free summit, apparently by germination and constriction. These are the sporules, and this is the development of the Agarics.
BROILED MUSHROOMS.
(A Breakfast, Luncheon, or Supper Dish.)
1125. INGREDIENTS.—Mushroom-flaps, pepper and salt to taste, butter, lemon-juice.
[Illustration: BROILED MUSHROOMS.]
Mode.—Cleanse the mushrooms by wiping them with a piece of flannel and a little salt; cut off a portion of the stalk, and peel the tops: broil them over a clear fire, turning them once, and arrange them on a very hot dish. Put a small piece of butter on each mushroom, season with pepper and salt, and squeeze over them a few drops of lemon-juice. Place the dish before the fire, and when the butter is melted, serve very hot and quickly. Moderate-sized flaps are better suited to this mode of cooking than the buttons: the latter are better in stews.
Time.—10 minutes for medium-sized mushrooms.
Average cost, 1d. each for large mushrooms.