I can’t remember the first time I tasted Garlic Mushrooms nor can I remember exactly how old I was, all I know is that I was very young and for most of my life these have been one of my favourite things in the world, my ‘go to’ treat and most definitely a comfort when I’m down.
I adore the texture of biting through the crisp crumb to reveal the meatiness and warmth of the mushroom beneath usually made all the better by having it dipped in a huge dollop of garlic mayonnaise! I make this by quiet simply grating some garlic into a bowl of mayonnaise with a little squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper. There is some wonderful Irish Garlic being grown here at the moment, it is much better than those you buy in the supermarket with a much bigger garlic kick and a nice little bit of heat to them. The two I use are West Cork Garlic http://www.westcorkgarlic.com/ and Sneem Garlic which I pick up at local markets here in Kenmare or Bantry.
I’ve tried many fillings over the years from patè to black pudding but this simple cream cheese is the one I come back to time and time again. I find the cheese adds an extra dimension and I love the smooth texture. I also find that double dipping in the flour, egg and breadcumb for a second time seals them really well and stops them absorbing excess oil or too much of the mushroom juices escaping……have you ever bitten into one and ended up with a wet chin?
I’ve used a flavoured ‘Philadelphia’ here as it was one MrC had bought and put in the fridge but I usually prefer to use a plain one as I’m not a fan of artificial flavourings. I’ve added a little lemon zest to my cream cheese but you can also add snipped chives and finely chopped pieces of ham…..now I’m making me hungry!!!
I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you make them make sure you let me know. These make the perfect weekend treat, we muched on them last Saturday as part of our DVD night with the boys. They are perfect as a light lunch with a salad, as a starter at a dinner party to impress your guests or served with homemade chips which is what we love.
Ingredients:
- 12 medium sized mushrooms, cleaned and stalk removed
- Approx half a tub of cream cheese
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- Grated zest of less then half a lemon
- 2 eggs, in a bowl and beaten
- Plain flour (enough to line a side plare with), seasoned with salt and pepperr.
- 100g of breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Directions:
- Place the cream cheese in a bowl and add in the crushed garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Fill each mushroom in with the cream cheese mix smoothing over as you finish.
- Dip the mushrooms in the flour, then the egg and breadcrumbs. Repeat this step twice.
- Put all the mushrooms on a plate and chill for at least 30mins.
- Preheat a deep fat fryer to 180 degrees and deep fry the mushrooms until the crumb is golden and the mushrooms are cooked with the cheese heated through.
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve with garlic mayo.
