Wild mushroom rosti
Potato Rosti with braised Fennel, foraged Spring Greens, wild Mushrooms, poached free range eggs, red wine reduction and Hollandaise.
Rosti
- 700g desiree potatoes
- 150 mls clarified butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A sprig of rosemary, chopped.
Par boil your potatoes, they should be still firm, cool them under running water, peel them and grate with a coarse grater then mix them with the butter rosemary and season. Pack as tightly as possible into a round cookie cutter and refrigerate.
Braised fennel
- 1 bulb of fennel
- A sprig of thyme
- 100 mls of white wine
- 1 tea spoon of olive oil
- a squeeze of lemon
Trim the top and bottom of the fennel and then cut into wedges and colour each side in a hot pan, add the wine, herbs and lemon and pop in the oven for for 10 - 15 mins or until tender. Strain off the liduid and pop the fennel in the fridge till ready to go.
Seasonal Greens
- Whatever green leafy veg you can lay your hands on. For May I would try to find yound nettles, wild garlic, English spinach, Sorel and water cress, or a combination of what you like best.
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Pick any tough stems from your greens and wash, then drain well, set aside until ready to cook, they will take a few minutes in the wok.
Wild mushrooms
- A selection of mushrooms. Unless you go to a very foodie market (boroughs a good one) or have a dedicated mushroom supplier just buy a few different varieties from the super market, Portobello's, Abalone, shitake or Chantrelle.
- 1 shallot diced
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- A dash of truffle oil
- A sprig of thyme
In a hot fry pan fry of the shallots then add your mushies and cook until all the water from the mushies has cooked off, season and then add the herbs and truffle oil, keep in a warm place until ready to plate.
Red wine reduction
- 500ml red wine
- 1 table spoon of sugar
Reduce the wine by two thirds and then add the sugar and cook until a nice syrup, test this on a plate until you are happy with the taste and consistency
Hollandaise
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 table spoon of sherry vinegar
- 100g clarified butter
- A squeeze of lemon
- Salt and pepper
Pop the egg yolks in a stainless bowl with the sherry vinegar and whisk over a low heat until the eggs reach ribbon stage (thick and fluffy) take off the heat and whisk in the butter and season adding the lemon juice last, taste and keep in a warm place until ready to use.
Finally to bring the whole lot together heat a fry pan over a medium heat, add a splash of oil and colour the rosti on one side turn and top with the fennel then put in the oven till heated through, about 7 minutes, cook off the greens in hot wok till wilted and season, drain off any excess water then put in the middle of the plate. Make a little bed of mushies and top with a poached egg then coat with hollandaise, drizzle red wine reduction around the outside of the plate and serve.