As lobster mushroom pairs so well with egg, the representative recipe is often lobster mushroom frittata. As I would rather eat my own face than consume a frittata—Italian for crappy omelette, which is itself French for ruined egg—the following recipe is for a classic spaghetti alla carbonara, guest starring lobster mushroom. Keep the eggs, lose the omelette.
Lobster mushroom
Lobster mushroom is not, strictly speaking, a mushroom proper, but a parasite, Hypomyces lactifluorum, and the mushroom it grows on. The mushroom of choice is usually Lactarius piperatus or Russula brevipes. An infected mushroom turns a reddish-orange while its flesh remains white, the end result bearing a strong resemblance to lobster meat. "Lobster mushroom" thus refers collectively to the parasite and the host mushroom. You'd do well to not let the symbiosis gross you out, for lobster mushrooms are edible and delicious, with an unexpected shellfish note and a dense, meaty texture.
Mushroom or large marine crustacean?
Pasta alla carbonara, on the other hand, is an Italian dish of obscure origin. "Carbonara" derives from the Italian word for charcoal; the recipe is composed of long pasta (generally spaghetti), cured pork (traditionally guanciale), pecorino romano, black pepper, and eggs. The eggs are added to the dish raw and cooked by the heat of the pasta. American recipes often add cream, butter, or different cheeses, but the authentic approach is just the egg and pecorino romano.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara con Lobster Mushroom
This recipe ditches the cured pork—but, by all means, feel free to keep it—in favor of lobster mushroom. I also add some green peas for color and crunch.
Makes four servings.
Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 pound lobster mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup freshly and finely-grated pecorino romano
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed and drained
4 eggs, beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely-chopped Italian parsley
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 3 tablespoons of salt. Cook until almost al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once bubbling, add the lobster mushrooms plus black pepper and sea salt to taste. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and cook, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and more black pepper to taste. Saute just until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
Sauteing the lobster mushrooms
Add the pasta, green peas, and the reserved cooking liquid to the pan. Cook one minute, shaking to mix the ingredients. Add the pecorino romano and more black pepper to taste, stirring to coat the pasta.
Integrating the pasta, green peas, and reserved cooking liquid
Remove the pan from heat. Add the beaten eggs, whisking vigorously until thickened but not scrambled.
Plated, garnished, and ready to serve
Serve immediately, garnished with the chopped parsley. Pairs well with a spicy Alsatian Gewürztraminer.
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