Mushroom balls of fluff

Mushroom balls of fluff are a very simple to make starter or tapas dish.  They are light, taste of mushrooms and go extremely well with the simple, tomato-flavoured, soured-cream sauce.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 10 Mins

Total Time: 20 Mins

Ingredients

For 6 servings…

30 cl               Milk         

70 gms            Butter       

                      Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

½ tsp             Salt          

½ tbs             Mushroom ketchip  

230 gms          Flour        

6                    Eggs        

80 gms            Mushrooms  - flat, chopped     

For the dip

140 gms          Cream  - double      

1                    Lemon  - juice of      

3 shakes          Tabasco    

1 small pinch     Salt          

1 tbs               Tomato purée         

1 tbs               Tomato ketchup       

Method

To make the dip…

Sour the cream with the juice of a lemon and then stir in the Tabasco, salt , tomato purée and tomato ketchup.

To prepare and cook the mushroom balls…

Heat together the milk, butter, salt, pepper and mushroom ketchup.  When about to boil, throw in the flour, remove from the heat and beat well.  Return to a gentle heat and continue beating until the dough leaves the sides of the pan clean.  Off the heat, beat in the eggs singly until the mixture is smooth and shiny.  Then stir in the mushrooms.

The preparation can be done an hour in advance and the paste kept covered with buttered greaseproof paper.

Scoop large teaspoonfuls of the mixture and lower into deep-frying oil heated to 190°C.  Cook for three minutes so that they are puffed up and be golden brown.

Drain on kitchen towel and serve with the dip.

Wine recommendations

Generally a white wine but will also go with red.

Conventional

     Mâcon

Interesting

     Beaujolais

     Pinot Blanc

     Riesling

Adventurous

     Crémant de Bordeaux