Flat Cap Mushrooms With Bacon & Goats Cheese
This is the time of year for Mushrooms. As children we used to pick buckets of mushrooms in the field beside our house, this year there seem s to be a scarcity of mushrooms, probably a combination of bad weather and fertilisers being used on the land. If you are a forager there are wild mushrooms in the woods - but be sure what you have picked is edible its not worth risking poisoning yourself if you're in any way unsure.
- 4 large flat cap field mushrooms
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 oz rindless bacon, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 4 oz breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped basil
- 2 oz goats cheese, crumbled, are any soft cheese you prefer - Cashel blue works well.
- 2 tbsp single cream
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Toasted Pine Nuts
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- Cut stalks from mushrooms and chop them finely reserving the whole caps.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the mushroom caps, rounded side down, and fry for one minute to brown. Transfer to a baking sheet.
- Add the chopped mushroom stalks, bacon and garlic to the frying pan and fry for 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.
- Add the breadcrumbs, basil and goats cheese, cream, lemon juice and seasoning and mix well. Divide the stuffing between the mushroom cups.
- Drizzle the remaining oil over the top and bake at 200c/ fan oven 190c for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.
- To serve sprinkle generously with toasted pine nuts and torn basil leaves.
I love this served with some chutney on the side. There are lots to choose from in The Country Store, Dungarvan - my favourite at the moment is Beetroot and Apple.
Labels: Starters
