I am always struck by the beauty of simple food. With chefs constantly learning and experimenting there is still something strangely appealing about an old classic. Don't get me wrong, I am always keen to hear about a new cooking technique or admire a dish that is plated up in a way I haven't seen before, but honest cooking with quality ingredients is a style that I always enjoy most. With this in mind I got my hands on some beautiful mushrooms and went to work.
Stuff you'll need to feed 2:
- About 250g - 300g of mixed wild mushrooms (I used porcini, king oyster, shiitake and enoki. Feel free to use what you like but please don't try this dish with just button mushrooms. I'm telling you know it will be average.) Keep the smaller ones whole and try not to cut any of them to much. I like the rustic nature of bigger chunks of 'shroom.
- About a quarter of a cup of water
- About 3 tablespoons of the best balsamic vinegar you can find
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- A handful of chives, finely chopped
- A tablespoon of thyme (dried is fine)
- 2 - 4 soft boiled eggs, peeled. (Boiling an egg to perfection is actually quite difficult and depends widely on the stove but as a guideline do this: Bring a pot of water to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the eggs for 4-5 minutes and remove from water to allow to cool. That should get you close. Obviously the way you like your eggs will dictate times so just play around a bit.)
Okay, what to do:
1. In a little olive oil fry off the garlic for about a minute. Do not let it brown though. Just cook gently.
2. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook for about a minute. Add the water, the balsamic and season generously.
3. Increase the heat and cook for about 8minutes or until your balsamic has reduced to a gorgeous thick sauce.
To serve, spoon the mushrooms onto your favourite toasted bread. (I'm a big fan of a sourdough/rye combo). Add either one or two soft boiled eggs onto the mushrooms and break open to allow the yoke to run into the mushrooms. Garnish with chopped chives. I served mine with some tomatoes roasted on the vine. A nice touch yes?
The key to this dish (obviously) is the quality of produce. With something this simple you need the best. If you can find that, you have got a winner. I know a lot of you will want to fry the mushrooms in butter but do you know what I want...I want you drop and give me 20. The butter is unnecessary. Now go run somewhere.
Cheers,
Jamie Who
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6 comments:
Nice to see someone cook eggs to that still runny stage.. looks awesome.. am now seriously hungry again...
I definitely want that for breakfast tomorrow
Nice food styling on that shot and looks delicious
I am sorry old fruit but i can no longer abide such limp-wristed calorie counting.
Cooking good food simply cannot be reduced to the barest amount of ingredients possible, in order to attain kilojule-reduced nirvana.
Now I am not saying that a full 500g of butter is required for every dish one cooks, but get a life man!
Butter is sheer heaven, it would make even some of the rabbit food you extol edible. Ditto mayonaise!
I know, I know, you can stop squeeling. I should be run on the treadmill by some or other tanned Gym Nazi until I die, but I cannot live the lie any longer.
A good deli Sambo on rye without mayo and wholegrain is like Cape Town without the Mountain: you could survive it but what the hell would you talk about afterwards?!
I dare you to give it a try. You can always go for a long, shameful run AND a gym session afterwards, even a tactical vomay...it would still be worth it.
FYI, the balsamic, I find, tends to overpower much of the flavour of the delectable droppings of the gods.
A knob (or three) of butter, a dash of olive oil, garlic and hey presto! Finish off with a squeeze of lemon juice and some italian flat leaf. I may not have the six pack you clearly aspire to, but at least my taste buds still love me.
Noodle, I can't lie I enjoy your writing but I think we need to sort something out. I never deprive myself of anything that I crave. Life is way too short. The point of this site is that healthy food doesn't need to be boring and that there are plenty of healthy substitutes for other fatty, calorie-laden shit. I make no excuses for taking care of my body and being proud of the fact that it looks good.
I am 100% with you that you need to experience the joys of a Massimo's pizza or a a perfect burger cooked over flaming coals. My point is simply that I won't do it every day. I will do it when I think I've earned it.
I promise you if you think you have the key to enjoying life go for a trail run in the mountains before the next deli sandwich. It will taste that much better.
Where did you find those mushrooms? Or rather, where can I get them? :)
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