GREEK-STYLE MUSHROOMS
Champignons a la GrecqueChampignons a la Grecque, a Greek-style mushroom recipe, is a cold starter that will surprise you. This recipes uses a method of preparing mushrooms that has gone out of fashion for no good reason. This cold starter was famous in the 80’s but is still delicious today. Let’s bring this retro dish back.
INGREDIENTS
300 g (10.6 oz) button mushrooms (small or medium size)
25 ml (0.85 fl oz) white wine
25 ml (0.85 fl oz) olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
50 g (1.7 oz) of finely chopped onions or shallots
10 coriander seeds
10 black peppercorns
A fragment of bay leaf
A small twig of thyme
Half a garlic clove
50 ml (1.7 fl oz) water
Half a teaspoon of sugar
2 tbsp diced tomatoes (optional)
1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
Season with salt and pepper to taste
NOTES
Use a cheese cloth to make a diffuser bag for the spices.
The dish has to be served at room temperature or slightly cold, but not fridge cold.
You can serve this dish as is with toasted bread as a cold starter or grazing plate, but it also goes well with grilled fish or meat on a warm day.
Cauliflower, artichoke hearts or courgettes may be substituted for the mushrooms.
PROCEDURE
Trim mushrooms, and if on the large side, quarter them.
Tie the garlic, thyme bay leaf, coriander seeds and peppercorns into the muslin cloth (cheesecloth).
Heat the olive oil and on a low heat gently cook the onion (or shallot) for a few minutes. Do not brown it.
Tip the mushrooms into the pan and toss them with the onions and gently fry them, again avoiding any browning.
Add the lemon juice, wine and salt and increase heat to medium. If desired, add the tomato paste (or, if preferred, the diced tomatoes) and the diffuser (bury it under the mushrooms).
Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to a syrup.
To counterbalance the acidity of the dish, the sugar can then be stirred in.
Drizzle oil over the dish, remove the muslin bag, transfer the pan contents to a porcelain dish and leave in the fridge overnight.
The next day, adjust the seasoning before serving and if you like an acidic taste, drizzle more lemon juice over.