Yesterday when Mom and I set out for eastern Pennsylvania hunting for the notorious lion’s mane mushroom (aka Pom Pom) with which to make Mushroom Bacon. This was the trip where I became re-acquainted with Pom Pom mushrooms. We found this nice bakery where they were serving Not So Crabby Cakes. So I asked what they used instead. This is when the girl at the store mentioned that some people use Pom Poms to make Mushroom Crab Cakes, I felt as if I had to wedge my foot in that door and keep it open long enough to get a peak. (And I liked what I saw.) With a half-pound bag of Pom Poms and a recipe clenched in my hand I headed for home.
I decided to use the technique of browning the mushrooms from their recipe and the ingredients from one I’d been using for years to come up with this recipe. It’s pretty straight forward: saute onions and celery, brown the mushrooms with nori seaweed dust and Old Bay, stir in bread crumbs, vegan mayo and seasonings, then brown them. I used the mayo recipe from the Non-Dairy Evolution cookbook, but you can use any vegan mayo you like. Trying to keep the fat content as low as possible, I cooked them on an ungreased electric griddle and they browned up beautifully. I drizzled on a little leftover Mornay sauce from the same cookbook, but you can make some tartar sauce using the mayonnaise, capers and pickle relish. All I can say is that this meal was a joy to put together and a delight to eat.
Crabby Pom Pom Mushroom Cakes
Makes 3 servings
- ½ cup water plus ½ teaspoon Better Than Bouillon “No Chicken” base (or vegetable broth)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, chopped
- Olive oil
- ½ lb. Pom Pom mushrooms, broken into bite size pieces
- 2 teaspoons Nori seaweed dust, or to taste *
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon reduced sodium Old Bay seasoning, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- Few drops of hot sauce
*To make seaweed dust, place ½ sheet of sushi seaweed in coffee mill or mini chop and process until finely ground.
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
In non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of broth. Add onion and celery and saute until lightly browned, adding more broth to prevent sticking. Remove to large mixing bowl.
Lightly coat skillet with oil and heat on high. Add mushroom pieces and saute until lightly browned. Add seaweed dust, sugar and Old Bay and continue to saute about 2 additional minutes. Add to vegetables in mixing bowl. Stir in bread crumbs, mayonnaise, soy sauce and hot sauce. Form into three cakes, place on parchment paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Heat an electric griddle on high and cook cakes until browned on both sides. You can also use a non-stick skillet that’s lightly coated with oil.
Recipe Originally Found On:
http://www.vegi-curious.com/not-so-crabby-pom-pom-mushroom-cakes/
