Wild mushrooms with pasta in a cream sauce. Serves 2

I like this recipe as it’s quick, easy and very indulgent. I saw some totally stunning mushrooms in a farm shop, so I just had to buy them and make this. I added simple pan-fried chicken to the finished dish to satisfy my meat loving wife.

We are blessed in my part of the world by having monument mushrooms and forest fungi, both in easy distance. Both produce totally amazing produce, but I don’t want to have to pick a favourite so i won’t.

I was bought a “grow your own kit”, but it didn’t work for me, unless it is a food receipe, I seem to have issues following directions!

The normal mushrooms you will find a packet from the supermarket are:

• Hen of the woods
• Shiitake
• Yellow, Grey and Pink Oysters
• King Oyster
• Nameko

But they tend to be cut into smaller pieces, and don’t include lion’s mane mushrooms (which are awesome squared), The smaller size does affect what you can do with them, and also impacts the quality. If you can, I truly recommend finding a farm shop that sells them or go direct to the suppliers.

I decided to use King Oyster and Nameko, the first gives a meaty texture and the second gives a beautiful nutty flavour. To be honest I also like a nice clean looking dish and too many types can look messy.

This dish will take less than 20 minutes to cook!

INGREDIENTS FOR 2

• 2 King Oyster mushrooms.
• 120g of Nameko mushrooms.
• olive oil and a nob of butter to cook mushrooms in.
• 1/2 white onion (very finely diced).
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed).
• 3 good sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 heaped tsp of dried thyme).
• 100ml of dry white wine.
• 150ml of double cream.
• 1/2 veg stock cube and 100ml of water.
• juice and zest of 1 lime. (yes the photo shows a lemon sorry!)
• 200g of spaghetti.

METHOD

You can do this in any order you wish really, but this method will get the food out within 20 minutes.

• Brush off the mushrooms to remove any dirt (do not wash). Cut the king oysters in half and break the others into bite size pieces.
• Put oil and butter in a heavy based pan and when it is bubbling, add the mushroom, reduce the heat to low and cook through until golden. About 5 minutes.
• Boil and salt the water for the pasta and cook off (If it is done before the sauce drain off and hold- DO NOT WASH you need the starch).
• When the mushrooms are cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the onion and thyme and cook for 1 minute, then add the garlic for another 2 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce by half, then add the stock, lime zest and juice and again reduce by half.
• Add the cream and reduce until thick.
• Strain off, then add the sauce to the pasta allow with the pasta. Heat through and serve.

As I said Simple and full of flavour. As always my blog is for me but I hope anyone who finds it enjoys it.