Really Crunchy Fried Mushrooms

Sometimes you just need a fried mushroom. Here’s why I love this recipe: 1) the coating doesn’t fall off the mushrooms when you try to eat them, 2) they stay crispy when held in a warm oven, which means you don’t have to be frying at the last minute, and 3) the crunch—oh, my! I think my neighbors heard me eating one of these. Keep this fry batter recipe handy-it great to fry all sorts of things- onions, asparagus, shrimp, peppers, etc.

Ingredients:

To fry:
About 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Fry Batter:
½ cup cornstarch
1 cup flour
2 teaspoon powdered egg white (if you don’t have it, just skip it)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon herb seasoning (your choice: maybe Italian seasoning,  Greek seasoning, garlic salt, whatever. I like to use Fox Point from Penzeys®)
1 to 1 1/2 cups light beer

The rest:

8 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt to finish

Directions:
For the fry batter: Mix all the fry batter ingredients (cornstarch though beer) with electric beaters, adding the beer slowly until you have the consistency of a thick pancake batter.  

Heat the oil in a large, shallow skillet over medium heat.

Pour the panko into a shallow dish.

Dip the mushrooms into the fry batter and let the excess drip off. Some people like to use toothpicks or chopsticks stuck in the end of each mushroom, but I find it cumbersome—I just use my hands. Roll each mushroom in panko and place in the heated oil. Cook in batches for about 3 minutes or until the bottom is light golden brown. Turn them over using two forks and cook another few minutes until the other side is golden brown. Remove (again using the two forks) to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a little kosher salt.

Looking for a dip to go with them? Try mixing mayonnaise with a little horseradish.