Chanterelles a la forestiere

Chanterelles normally begin to emerge in the second half of July and this French dish, based loosely on a Jane Grigson recipe, harnesses their unique, scented, qualities . . . .

500g chanterelles
50 g butter
1 clove garlic
1 shallot (finely chopped)
100g smoked streaky bacon
500g new potatoes (cooked)
100ml double cream
Parsley, chopped
Salt, black pepper

Brush and trim the mushrooms to free them of dirt. Simmer them and the garlic and shallots in half the butter for a few minutes, then put to one side. Fry the bacon rapidly in the remaining butter for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly crush the new potatoes with a thumb to break the skin and allow in the mushroom juices. Add to the pan of girolles and bacon and stir until the potatoes begin to colour slightly. Pour in the cream, season to taste and garnish with the chopped parseley. (Serves four.)

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Our ancestors relied on wild food from the fields and woods, great great grandfathers were transported for helping themselves, while Mabey, Mears and Fearnley-Whittingstall have introduced a new generation to its charms. So what free delicacies are available now?

Alexanders
Birch Sap Wine
Chanterelles
Chestnut
Cockles
Crab Apple
Elderberries
Hairy Bittercress
Hogweed
Hops (March 2010)
Morel
Parasol
Pennywort
Ramsoms (May 2010)
Red-legged partridge
Seaweed (August 2010)
Signal Crayfish
Silver Birch
Sloe
St Georges (April 2010)
Stinging Nettles
Wild strawberries

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Badger
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Butterflies
Collared dove
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Midges (August 2010)
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Nuthatch (June 2010)
Partridge
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Spiders
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The Goshawk
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Recipes

Just as we Britons have lost any mushroom lore we might once have possessed, so most of us are at a loss when we finally venture into the kitchen with our haul. In reality, however, mushrooms are one of the easiest things to work with. They have such fantastic flavours, the general rule is to not to mask these with complicated recipes. Most should be cooked, particularly the first time, because they can be indigestible, but otherwise, simple is usually best . . .

Baked eggs and rocket with chilli and yoghurt (June 2010)
Blewit Pate
Chanterelle and Feta Quiche
Chanterelles a la forestiere
Chicken and Mushroom Pie
Chicken-of-the-Woods Satay
Elderflower Cordial
Grilled Cepes
Jew's Ear on Pasta
Morel Fondue
Morel Stroganoff (March 2010)
Mushroom Parcels
Parasol Tempura
Pearl Barley and Wild Mushroom Risotto
Porcini, kale and pasta
Saffron Milk Caps with Beans
Shaggy Ink Cap Soup
Smoked Chilli Oil
Spiced Stuffed Mushrooms
St Georges Vol-au-Vents
Thai Mushroom Soup
Venison and Blewit Casserole
Wild Mushroom and Nut Pate
Wild mushroom soup

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Mushroom Newsletter (18 January 2012)
I wouldn’t normally send out a newsletter this early in the year, but the weather has been so unusual that several readers have written in with reports of unexpected finds . . . .

Chanterelles a la forestiere

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