Last week I did a cookery demonstration in the Ardkeen Quality Food Store.

I was cooking cultivated “Wild ” Mushrooms which are produce with great care by my friends Nick and Catherine George in Wexford under the name Fancy Fungi.

Kevin Jephson was busy photographing the results

In case anyone is interested these are the two recipes I cooked:

Risotto of Wild Mushrooms, Rocket and Parmesan
(for 4 as a starter,2 as a main course)

1 med Onion
3 oz. Butter
10 oz. Arborio Rice
8 oz. Mushrooms (wild if you can get them)
1 bunch Rocket
2 oz. Piece Fresh Parmesan
2 pts. Good Chicken Stock.

Put the stock on to boil and have it simmering gently on the hob as you cook the risotto.

Chop the onion finely and cook in a large pan in 2 oz. of the butter on a gentle heat until it is soft. (about 10 mts)
Chop the mushrooms into coarse chunks and add them to the pan.
Cook these for 3 mts.
Add the rice to the pan and cook with the vegetables for 3 mts.
Add in a ladle full of the hot stock and cook stirring from time to time until the rice has absorbed the stock . Continue to add the stock a ladle at a time, until the rice is tender and most of the stock has been absorbed.(You may have some stock remaining). The texture should be creamy and flowing, not dry like we are used to eating rice.
Break up the rocket and shave the parmesan with a potato peeler.
Stir these and the remaining ounce of butter into the risotto and serve immediately in flat soup bowls.
This makes a very filling first course so go lightly with the mains.

Wild Mushrooms with Roast Garlic Dressing

450g (1 lb.) Mushrooms
60g (2oz.) Butter
Salt and Pepper

Dressing:
1 Head Garlic
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Cream.

First make the dressing
Don’t be intimidated by the amount of garlic, The roasting softens the taste completely.
Peel the cloves and put onto a oven proof plate with a tablespoon of Olive Oil.
Cover tightly with tinfoil.
Put into a moderate oven Gas4, 175C, 350F, for 30 to 40 mts until they are quite soft.
Put these into a liquidizer and whizz, with their oil and the vinegar, until smooth. Tip out of the liquidizer and when cool beat in the cream.
Slice the mushrooms and fry in the butter until tender.
Arrange them on individual plates as they are or on some toast.
Serve immediately with the dressing dribbled over.