Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 cups panko
  • 6 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 10 button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup olive or canola oil for frying
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons cornichons, capers, or pickles, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instruction

  • To prepare the fried mushrooms, combine the panko and parsley in the bowl of a food processor, then pulse until finely ground. If you've just washed your parsley, dry it before adding it to the food processor.
  • Set up a "breading" station with three low bowls. In the first bowl, add flour. In the second, add buttermilk. In the third, add the panko/parsley mixture, then stir in lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. (Set the lemon aside to use later -- see "Optional" note below.) Dunk the mushrooms into each bowl, covering them with flour, then buttermilk, then the panko/parsley mixture. Place the breaded mushrooms aside until ready to be fried.
  • In a skillet, heat the oil until simmering. Fry the mushrooms in batches over medium to high heat, turning them, until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes total -- a fish spatula works well to flip the mushrooms without tearing the breading. Drain the mushrooms on a paper towel-lined plate, and sprinkle with salt. To keep the mushrooms warm, transfer them to a baking sheet -- fried mushrooms can be held in an oven at 225º F for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Optional: Instead of throwing away the lemon, add it to the fry. Slice the lemon as paper-thin as possible with a sharp knife or mandoline, then follow the same process as with the mushrooms to bread and fry the lemons.
  • To prepare the smoked paprika remoulade, combine the mayonnaise, cornichons, mustards, smoked paprika, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix until combined.