Welcome to October. Mushroom season is starting to settle in and, for those who have the knowledge for them, it’s a great time of year to get out and pick your own. I love foraging, it’s always played a huge part of who I am as a chef and the autumn season is always a time I like to get out and have a look at what is about.
If you don’t want to pick your own, we have some fantastic suppliers like Smithy Mushrooms in Scarisbrick and relative newcomers, Wyreside Mushrooms, who are up and coming and doing really well – they have just expanded, too, and I’m hoping that by this month they’ll have some gorgeous Hen of the Woods mushrooms for us to use in the restaurants.
Mushrooms are so versatile and an ingredient that’s full of flavour – there is nothing boring about foraging for mushrooms, they capture the imagination.
In this recipe, we’ve got some great producers, like Wyreside Mushrooms and the brilliant Lancashire company, Mrs Kirkham’s, who have taken a bit of a hit recently and need our support. They have a fantastic product and it’s nice to back a brilliant producer like this.
Their cheese is unique in terms of its texture with its own unique flavour to it without it being hugely overpowering. This means it works well with other foods, because it complements things easily. The eggs come from a little place up in Kendal called Docker Farm run by a young couple who are passionate about what they are doing. They used to supply Hipping Hall when I was head chef there and they are fabulous.
This recipe could be served as a starter at a dinner party or it’s a great brunch dish. It’s full of autumn flavours and is a comforting plate of food. And I couldn’t resist the eggy bread p it served me well on MasterChef and made me survive another day in the competition, so it always gets a little feature here and there on our menus. Have a great month.
Wild mushrooms, eggy bread, Mrs Kirkham’s Cheese and duck egg
Ingredients
For the eggy bread
2 slices sourdough, left to air dry overnight
3 2ggs
150ml milk
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper
1 tsp truffle oil, if desired
For the wild mushrooms
300g wild mushrooms, mixed
2 sprigs tarragon
Splash of sherry vinegar
For the poached duck egg
2 x Docker Farm Duck Eggs
White Wine Vinegar
Additional ingredients
100g Mrs Kirkham’s Cheese
Method
For the eggy bread
Whisk together the milk, eggs, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Soak the bread in the mixture for five minutes turning halfway through.
In a frying pan, add a little butter over a medium heat and add the soaked bread. Cook for three minutes each side until golden brown and starting to crisp. Set aside and add the mushrooms into the pan to cook.
For the wild mushrooms
Sautee the mushrooms in a frying pan over a high heat for around two minutes, chop the tarragon and add in, then finish with a splash of sherry vinegar.
For the Mrs Kirkham’s
Using a microplane or fine grater, grate over the Mrs Kirkham’s cheese.
For the poached duck egg
Bring a pan of water to the boil and whisk it to create a whirlpool effect in the pan, crack open the egg and drop into the middle and turn the heat on full. After 30 seconds reduce to a simmer and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Drain well and season with salt and pepper.
