On a mission to find something completely different for our meal last Saturday, we came across a wonderful sounding recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi which is hearty, warming and certainly delicious after an afternoon out walking in the countryside. This is definitely one for the garlic lovers out there!
If you are up for a lot of peeling, you will be rewarded by a winter warmer with a difference!
Mushrooms, Garlic and Shallots with Lemon Ricotta
2 tbsp olive oil
55g sunflower margarine
24 baby shallots
24 garlic cloves
4 sprigs of thyme
2 cinnamon sticks
200g portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
100g mixed exotic mushrooms or wild mushrooms
generous pinch of chilli flakes
200 ml veg stock (I use Kallo)
generous grinding of salt
generous grinding of pepper
100 ml Pernod
5g fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
10g fresh parsley leaves, chopped
10g fresh mint leaves, chopped
250g ricotta
zest of 1 lemon and a squeeze of the juice
Method:
Heat the olive oil and two thireds of the margarine in a large pan and gently fry the shallots, garlic cloves, thyme and cinnamon for about five minutes, until the onions begin to soften
Add the portobello and chestnut mushrooms, stir well so the mushrooms pick up the oil, and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium-high heat
Add the buna-shimeji and chilli flakes, and cook for a further minute
Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer over a high heat for eight to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has almost disappeared, and the shallots and garlic are cooked through
Season, then pour in the Pernod
Cook for a minute or two to allow the alcohol to evaporate, stir in the remaining margarine and all the chopped herbs.
Mix the ricotta with the lemon zest and a quick squeeze of the juice in a small bowl
Divide the warm mushrooms between four bowls and top each serving with a quarter of the ricotta mixture
Serve with some chunky warm bread to soak up the juices