Fried Mushroom Appetizer

Clean the champignons with a damp cloth to remove any soil, then pat dry. Leave small mushrooms whole; halve or quarter larger ones so pieces are roughly uniform in size.

Set up three shallow bowls: place flour in the first, beaten egg in the second, and bread crumbs in the third. Season the flour and bread crumbs lightly with salt.

Working in batches, coat each mushroom piece in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in beaten egg, and finally roll in bread crumbs until fully covered.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and a bread crumb sizzles immediately upon contact.

Carefully add the breaded mushroom pieces to the hot oil in a single layer, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan.

Fry until the coating turns golden brown and crispy on the first side, then flip and fry the other side until equally golden. Do not stir excessively; allow pieces to develop color.

Transfer the fried mushrooms to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with additional salt while still warm.

Serve hot, ideally with a sour cream or herb dipping sauce on the side.