Cornmeal Fried Morels

Instructions

Halve the morels, clean them, and put them in a bowl of salt water. Set a heavy plate on top to keep them submerged and leave them overnight.

Rinse the morels well and drain them. Whisk the egg and milk together in a wide, shallow bowl, and mix the cornmeal and pepper in a thick paper bag.

Melt enough bacon grease in a deep, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet to come 1 inch up the side. Heat it until it is good and hot but not smoking.

While the grease heats, put the morels in the egg and milk and let them soak briefly. Lift out a handful and shake off the excess liquid.

Drop the handful into the bag of cornmeal, holding your hand under the bottom of the bag so it does not tear, and shake gently. Add more morels a handful at a time, shaking after each, until all are thickly coated. A colander set over a larger bowl works for catching loose coating, and any bare spots can be touched up from the bowl.

Lay the coated morels in the hot skillet in a single layer. Turn them only once so the coating stays on, and take them out when golden. Drain them on paper towels, and do not add salt, since the bacon grease already carries plenty.