Recipes from the Market Table by Pascale Beale

HERB CREPES WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND A CHIVE SAUCE

Serves 8 people

1 cup unbleached flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons parsley – finely chopped

2 tablespoons lemon thyme – finely chopped

1 cups milk

¼  cup water

3 eggs – beaten together in a small bowl

1 ½ oz butter – melted

Salt and pepper

1. Put the dry ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer (or in a large bowl if you are whisking this by hand). With the mixer running pour in the milk, water, melted butter and the eggs. Keep whisking until the batter is smooth. Set aside.

For the mushroom mixture:

1 ½ lbs wild mushrooms - sliced in ¼ inch slices

1 medium sweet onion -sliced thinly

2 tablespoons butter

olive oil

1 tsp salt

1. In a large skillet place enough olive oil to just coat the pan then add the butter and sweet onion and cook until tender.
2. If you are using Portobello mushrooms add them to the onion mixture first and cook for about five minutes. Then add the rest of the mushrooms and salt and cook for about 2-3 minutes until just soft.
3. Keep warm and set aside.

To make the crepes:

1. Heat a small frying pan (or crepe pan if you have one) or small skillet - they should all be about 7 inches in diameter - so that the pan is very hot. Pour a little oil onto a paper towel and wipe the surface of the pan with the paper towel. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan and then tilt the pan so that the batter covers the entire surface. Cook the crepe until golden brown and then flip it over cooking a minute more.
2. Place the cooked crepe onto a warm plate and spoon 1/8^th of the mushroom mixture in the middle of the crepe. Roll up the crepe and spoon the chive sauce over the crepe. Serve at once.

For the chive sauce:

2 tablespoons shallots - sliced thinly

1 tablespoon of butter

2 tablespoons of chives, finely chopped

½ cup crème fraiche

½ cup vegetable stock

½ tsp salt

1. In a medium sauce pan, placed over medium high heat, add the butter and shallots and cook until completely soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Pour the vegetable stock and crème fraiche into a blender. Add the chives and pulse until mixed. Then add in the cooked shallots and salt and pulse until mixed. Spoon a little of the sauce over the crepes.

This is lovely with a fresh green salad served alongside.

PORCINI MUSHROOM SALAD

Serves 8 people

For the salad:

4 oz dried porcini mushrooms

4 oz Crimini mushrooms – finely sliced

2 tablespoons butter

8 oz small new potatoes

2 tablespoons duck fat (you can take this from the duck that is cooking- see recipe below)

4 oz mache salad greens

4 oz mixed salad greens

1 bunch chives – finely chopped

Salt and Pepper

1. Place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl of boiling water or very hot chicken stock and set aside to soak for 20 minutes. Drain the liquid when ready to sauté the mushrooms.
2. Whilst the mushrooms are soaking, cook the new potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water. About 10-15 minutes depending on size. Once cooked, drain, then slice thinly and set aside.
3. Make the vinaigrette (see recipe below) in the bottom of a large salad bowl and place the serving utensils over the vinaigrette.
4. Pour a little duck fat into a large sauté pan and cook the potatoes until golden brown on both sides. Spoon the cooked potatoes into the salad bowl.
5. Add the butter to the same sauté pan and cook the mushrooms (each variety separately). They will only need a few minutes each. Add them both to the salad bowl.
6. Place the salad greens and chives on top of the potatoes and mushrooms. Toss the salad when you are ready to serve. 

For the vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon truffle oil

1 tablespoon Apple bouquet vinegar

Large pinch salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine all of the ingredients in the bottom of a large salad bowl and whisk together until you have a smooth vinaigrette. If you like the vinaigrette to be a little sweeter, add in a little more of the vinegar.