LOBSTER MUSHROOMS! A Culinary Note

Despite their vibrant colors, lobster mushrooms can be easy to miss in the fall underbrush

Ah, the lobster mushroom. C'est délicieux!

Many people know that you can find mushrooms in spring. Some know you can find them in summer. Few, it seems, realize that some of the best edibles occur in fall. The lobster mushroom is one of those. 

The family and I went out and searched for some together. Pro tip: if you want a great mushrooming bag, get a hold of some old oyster bags. I take them from work, but I be

All aboard the daddy train!

Where do I find them?

You can just search mixed woods in fall after good rains. That's originally how I found one of my faithful spots. They aren't often apparent until you're right on top of them, so be prepared to do some nose to the ground searching. That being said, an effective method is to scout for spots during summer. How?

The whole family! 

The real pro

Lobster mushrooms love to parasitize Peppery Milky mushrooms and some species of Russula mushrooms. Therefore, look for areas where the Peppery Milky is abundant in the wet times of summer and you'll have a much greater chance of finding lobster mushrooms when fall rolls around. 

My favorite spot is located along the intersection of pine woods and hickory woods, near the top of a hill that goes into a river bottom. Don't rule out the rocky uplands. I've found more mushrooms by far in those areas than down close to rivers.

NOTE! Don't mistake lobsters for the poisonous Jack O Lantern mushroom. Lobster mushrooms should never have breakable gills and they don't grow in thick, attached clusters. If you find a similar mushroom, alone or in clusters, that has gills, don't it eat! Always make sure of your identification when mushroom hunting and never try something you're not %100 sure of.

Cooking Methods

Lobster mushrooms are very meaty and unusually firm for a mushroom. They also tend to be somewhat crumbly. The main ways I've seen them prepared are in soups, braised whole, and chopped to put in mushroom cakes. Check out the recipes section to see a full recipe for mushroom latkes. Get creative though! Some ideas to try might be fried tempura style, seared and used as a sandwich meat substitute or topping, or as a filler in a casserole or enchiladas. 

Lobster Mushroom Soup 
2-3 cups lobster mushrooms (fresh or dried)
1 cup of heavy cream
1 stalk of celery
2 cloves garlic
1/2 a white onion
1/3 stick of butter
3/4 cup of flour (or desired amount for desired thickness)
3-5 cups of chicken stock
fresh parsley
fresh thyme
fresh baguette 

Theory: This is a low and slow method. The cook time is close to an hour. I usually cook this on low, low heat in a stainless steel pot. It could also be done in cast iron. Basically, the heat should be just enough to melt the butter, but not enough to really brown it. The slow addition of each ingredient, the earthy tones of the garlic and mushroom, and the sharp, herbal notes, make this a perfect recipe for a cold, rainy day.

much hearty, very mushroom 

Method
1. Chop onion, garlic, and mushrooms into small chunks. If the mushroom is dried, soak it in hot chicken stock before chopping and save the mushroom soaked stock for the soup. Finely chop parsley and cut celery into fine, half moons.
2. Put a pot on low heat and put butter, celery, onions, and garlic into the pot. Let them slowly cook until they start to become translucent. Make sure there's enough room in the pot for the vegetables to cook evenly.
3. Add mushrooms, parsley, and thyme and continue to cook for six to ten minutes. It may take longer, just watch and make sure the heat is low and the butter doesn't burn.
4. Once all the vegetables and mushrooms are cooked, add flour to the mixture and stir. You can use more or less depending on how thick you want the soup. It will appear to become a thick paste and will mimic the effect of a roux.
5. Slowly add in chicken stock and stir. Add small amounts at a time so that the stock doesn't cool down the mixture and so you have control over the consistency of the soup. Don't let it get to the desired thickness just yet. You'll still need to add in the cream, which will help thin it out. You can add salt and pepper here.
6. Add the cream and stir.
7. Let soup simmer for five-ten minutes so all the flavors mix in. Meanwhile, toast the baguette.
8. Once the soup has simmered, dish out hot and serve with the warm baguette!