This recipe comes from the late Larry Stickney, a phenomenal guy who was instrumental in creating a culture of mushrooming in the Bay Area. Thanks to Richard Rammer for contributing the recipe. The adaptation transforms clafoutis, a traditional French dessert made with cherries, into a savory first course or entrée. Boletes may be switched for Black Trumpets, Agaricus species, or other robustly-flavored wild mushrooms.

Yield: 6 main course servings

Time: 15 minutes prep, one hour baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease a baking dish or pie plate (about 1 ½ inches deep) with butter or olive oil. 

Ingredients:
3 C (about 1 lb.) bolete buttons, cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces
½ C chopped shallots
1 ½ C half & half or whole milk
3 eggs
2/3 C unbleached all-purpose flour
½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 tsp grated lemon zest
½ tsp kosher salt

Method:
Sauté shallots in olive oil until transparent. Cool and reserve in bowl.

Mix the batter ingredients in a blender and let rest in the fridge for an hour.  The batter can be prepared up to a day in advance. 

In another pan, sauté the mushrooms in butter until lightly browned. Cool and combine with shallots.  Combine the clafouti batter with the mushroom/shallot mixture.  Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. 

Place in the middle of the oven and bake for about 1 hr.  The clafouti will puff up in the oven but will sink a bit when taken out.  Serve warm.