Serves 4
Ingredients
- 600 g field mushrooms, brushed and stalks trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- salt flakes
- 1 x 100 g piece flat pancetta, cut into lardons
- 1 French shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons port or sherry
- 2 tablespoons green peppercorns in brine, drained and crushed
- 125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock
- 100 ml cream
- 50 g hazelnuts, skins removed, roughly chopped
- 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Tightly place the mushrooms in a single layer in a baking dish (it’s okay if they overlap a little as they will shrink significantly). Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of oil, season with a pinch of salt and bake for 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms start to soften.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the pancetta, shallot and garlic. Gently cook, stirring regularly to allow the fat to render from the pancetta, for 3-4 minutes until the shallot and garlic are softened and lightly caramelised.
- Pour in the port or sherry and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the peppercorns and stock and simmer until reduced by one third. Pour in the cream and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Drain most of the excess liquid from the mushrooms, then pour over the cream sauce and sprinkle on the hazelnuts. Bake for a further 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- Sprinkle over the parsley and serve. Use bacon or speck instead of pancetta, if you like.
