3 quart capacity pot such as cast iron for deep frying.
2 medium mixing bowls
Ingredients
Mushrooms
8ozfresh young chicken of the woods
½teaspoonkosher salt
½cupwater
1cupbuttermilk
1-2cupsfrying oilsuch as peanut or grapeseed
Dredge
⅔cupall purpose flourGF is ok too
⅓cupcornstarch or potato starch
1teaspoononion powder
½teaspoongarlic powder
1tablespoonsweet paprika
Sauce
⅓cupFranks Red Hot or your favorite hot sauce
1tablespoonunsalted butter
Serving
Blue cheese dressing
Celery stickspeeled with a vegetable peeler and cut on the bias into 2-3 inch pieces.
Fresh greensfor garnishing the plate, such as nasturtiums (optional but makes it feel less like bar food)
Instructions
Par Cook the Mushrooms
Put the water and salt in wide pan with a lid that can accommodate the chicken mushrooms. Add the mushrooms, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are just cooked. Remove the mushrooms and discard any liquid.
Put the mushrooms in a container they can fit snugly in and cover with the buttermilk. From here the mushrooms can be made up to two days ahead of time, or they can be cooked a few minutes after soaking in the buttermilk.
Fry the Mushrooms
In a small pot, heat the oil until 350 F.
Please note that the amount of oil you use can vary depending on the size of your pot. You may need up to 2 cups of oil. You want the oil deep enough for shallow frying.
Remove the mushrooms from the buttermilk with a slotted spoon and toss in the flour mixture to coat well.
Working in two batches (or one if your pan is large, say 10 inches wide) fry the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes or until very crisp.
Remove the mushrooms to a tray lined with paper towels for a second to drain, then transfer to a mixing bowl. If you need, the mushrooms can be kept warm in an oven while you prepare something else.
Buffalo Sauce
Meanwhile, in a small pot or in the microwave, heat the Franks Red Hot Sauce and the butter, stirring occasionally to incorporate. When the butter is incorporated, pour the hot sauce over the still piping hot chicken mushrooms in the bowl, toss to coat well.
Arrange the chicken mushrooms over the greens on a serving plate, along with the celery sticks and ramekins of blue cheese dressing for dipping.