Puff Balls - who eats them?

gmac

My Mom had a friend give her a puff ball at church this morning so I cooked it up. Not sure how everyone else does them but we've always dipped slices in egg and fried. So I put some butter on my grill and fried them. I did a slice without egg too because my wife wanted to try without. 

First time my wife and boys have had it. If they had liked it I would go get another one while they last but they didn't love it so I won't likely bother until next year. 

Anyone here really love them?

JohnInCarolina

I have no idea what these are.

gmac

They are a giant mushroom. About a foot or so across at the biggest. They grow wild all around here. You just go out in the woods and pick them up. 

Here's a random internet link with a picture. 


https://www.google.ca/search?q=puff+ball&client=safari&hl=en-ca&prmd=isvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjE5-fh_JbXAhWF2YMKHSjhCBYQ_AUIEigB&biw=320&bih=460#imgrc=O8OUy1nu8fYGEM:

ColtsFan

I treat them like morels, hen of the woods, etc.. Slice, dipped in egg and coated in flour, S&P. Fried in cast iron in lard 

DonWW

You do that to hen of the woods????  Yikes!!

ColtsFan said:

I treat them like morels, hen of the woods, etc.. Slice, dipped in egg and coated in flour, S&P. Fried in cast iron in lard 

gdenby

To me, puff balls are pretty much sponges for whatever they are cooked with/in. Not much flavor of their own, but a good texture if they are picked just in time. My wife found a melon sized one on a Thanksgiving day, so a quick pan fry of slices w. a stick of butter, a bit of garlic and pepper was a happy addition to the feast.

As above, I've tried egg and flour dip, sort of like eggplant parmesan. Didn't thrill me, but my eggplant parmesan is pretty crummy too.

ColtsFan

@DonWW the majority of the these were prepared that way. Sometimes just sautéed in butter with some eggs