Enoki Blooms

With a mild, almost fruity mushroom flavor and crisp-tender texture, enoki mushrooms fry beautifully. Soaking the mushrooms in fresh citrus juice carries flavor throughout each bloom.

Total Time:
40 mins
Yield:
4

Ingredients

  • 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads

  • 4 (1-inch) pieces fresh ginger, peeled

  • 6 (1-inch) pieces fresh turmeric, peeled

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1 cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed)

  • Canola oil, for frying

  • 1 tablespoon shichimi togarashi

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh sour orange juice (see Note)

  • 2 fresh enoki mushroom bunches (about 8 ounces), each bunch halved though root end

  • 1 1/2 cups cornstarch (about 6 3/4 ounces)

  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives

Directions

  1. Place saffron threads in a small skillet; cook over medium, undisturbed, until toasted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; crumble into a small bowl. Set aside.

  2. Fold an 8-inch-square piece of cheesecloth into quarters to make a 4-layer, 4-inch square. Using a Microplane grater, grate ginger over center of cheesecloth square. Gather edges of cheesecloth together, and squeeze ginger over a small bowl to equal 2 tablespoons ginger juice. Discard solids. Repeat process with turmeric root.

  3. Place egg yolks in a food processor. With food processor running, add lemon juice, crumbled saffron, ginger juice, turmeric juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; slowly stream in neutral oil until mixture is smooth and combined, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer aioli to a small bowl.

  4. Pour canola oil into a Dutch oven to a depth of 3 inches; heat over high to 350°F.

  5. Meanwhile, stir together togarashi and smoked paprika in a small bowl; set aside.

  6. Stir together sour orange juice and 21/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Add mushroom pieces, gently pressing to submerge. Let soak 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well, and discard orange juice mixture.

  7. Place cornstarch in a bowl. Place 2 of the mushroom pieces in cornstarch; toss to coat. Using a spider, transfer mushrooms to hot oil in Dutch oven. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning once halfway through cook time. Transfer fried mushrooms to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat process with remaining 2 mushroom pieces. Sprinkle mushrooms evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

  8. To serve, spread 2 tablespoons aioli on each of 4 plates; spoon remaining aioli into a small bowl. Top plates evenly with mushrooms; sprinkle with chives and togarashi-paprika mixture. Serve with aioli in bowl.

    enoki blooms
    Greg DuPree

Make Ahead

The aioli may be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes

If sour oranges are unavailable, a mixture of 1 cup fresh orange juice and 1/2 cup fresh lime juice may be substituted.

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