Mushroom bourguignon

For Christmas I was given a mushroom kit from Taylors so thought I would save it to start with my from Spade to Plate group to experiment with my visiting scholar friends

We will also sprout some mung beans, so that next week we can harvest bean sprouts.

To get us in the mood for a mushroom dish I have chosen a Mushroom and Chestnut bourguignon with mashed potatoes

• Serves: 4
 
• Preparation time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• Chestnut and mushroom bourguignon
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large carrot, finely cubed
• 1 stick of celery, finely cubed
• Leaves from 2 stalks of fresh rosemary, finely chopped (to give about 1 tbsp)
• Leaves from 8 sprigs of fresh thyme (to give about 2 tbsp)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 large glass of port or red wine or Madeira (about 175ml) [optional]
• 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 900g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• 8 shallots or small onions, peeled
• 250g cooked, peeled chestnuts (from a vac pac or can)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, to serve (optional)
• Rosemary and thyme mashed potatoes:
• 4 large jacket potatoes
• 50g butter
• bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black Pepper

Method

A veggie version of a classic French dish, this still has rich flavours that make for a perfect winter warmer

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, (fan 180°C), Gas Mark 6. Prick the potatoes with a fork and rub them with a little of the butter. Then wrap them in tin foil and pop them in the oven for about 1 hour.
2. About 40 minutes before the potatoes are ready, start cooking the bourguignon. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf and cook for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to soften.
3. Next, stir in the garlic and flour and cook for one more minute. Turn the heat up to high, pour in the port or wine (if using), stirring to blend the flour in well, and let it bubble away for 2–3 minutes until thickened.
4. Then, stir in the stock and tomato puree, followed by the mushrooms and shallots. Bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer for a good 20 minutes until thickened.
5. Add the chestnuts, season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes to heat through.
6. Once the potatoes feel tender when pierced with a knife, remove them from the oven. Split them open and scrape out their fluffy insides into a medium bowl. Add the remaining butter, chives and nutmey, if using, and eason with salt and pepper, and then mash everything well. Alternatively, you can just serve the potatoes split down the middle.
7. Spoon the mash onto each serving plate and ladle the bourguignon over. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve, if you like.