Smoky, creamy and tangy, this stew helps the pretty chanterelles shine, as they are included in the dish as well as simply blanched and coated in lemon juice and zest as the topping, along with sour cream and truffles. At the Autumnal Mushrooms Supper Club, I cut out the black truffle in this dish, as it is quite a subtle taste and I felt it was a little wasted with all the strong flavours like smoked garlic, paprika and even the lemon zest. I’d also added truffle to two other courses, so I didn’t want to overdo it. Instead I added some butterfly sorrel on the side of the stew, which gave the dish a tangy, fresh addition to complement the lemon. You can get butterfly sorrel from Panzers in London (if you order in advance) or ask the Worcester-based producer Westlands Wow, where your nearest stockiest it. If you want to experiment with the truffle, just add freshly done shavings on top.
Chanterelle mushrooms are very much just a pretty face – they only have a slight woodland taste and are quite sweet tasting for a mushroom. This stew shows their lovely form and texture off well and will bring oohs and ahs from your dining guests. The stew can be made a day ahead to just before the sour cream is mixed in, then brought to temperature and the final toppings added on the day, making it a perfect course for a dinner party.
Chanterelle Stew
Serves 6
600g Desiree potatoes (mine were from Lancashire), chopped into equal pieces, skin on
60g rapeseed oil
1 tbsp smoked paprika
15g butter
2 onions, chopped
2 large smoked garlic cloves (3 if small)
150ml dry white wine
200g yellow or grey (or a combination) chanterelle mushrooms
500g blue moon pumpkin (this is very sweet and soft, and goes well with the mushrooms but you can get any you find), peeled, cored and chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
200ml sour cream, plus extra for garnish
sea salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and dust with the paprika and season with salt and pepper. Pour 50g of the oil into a large roasting tin and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Take the tin out of the oven and carefully spoon the potatoes into the hot oil. Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes.
In a separate very large saucepan, sweat the onions in the butter and remaining oil for 10 mins, stirring regularly and adding a splash of wine if it becomes too dry. Stir in all of the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes, then add a third of the chanterelles and cook for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin and roast potatoes, and then pour in 500ml of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, place the remaining mushrooms and place them in a small saucepan. Cover with boiling water and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain and dress with the lemon juice and zest.
Take the stew off the hob and mix in the sour cream and season with pepper. Divide between six bowls and top with the chanterelle mushrooms, extra sour cream and a sprinkling of sea salt. Serve.
