Mushrooms that press all the right taste buttons

April passed without a morel. Hopefully May will be better. We picked up a few St George mushrooms and pickled them for a later date. They’d go with a nice poached egg and some cheddar and toast. Simple is always best.

We take mushrooms for granted. We walk into the supermarket and they are there, waiting for us. Do we ever consider how long they take to grow or what is their season?

I’m looking forward to the yellow chanterelle, that beautiful wild mushroom that simply melts when cooked in butter and thyme. Or try duck fat. Mushrooms love it. Melted with sage and then tossed together with the mushrooms. These are life’s pleasures. But don’t get me wrong. There’s a lot to be said for a button mushroom. We just need to know how to care for it. Sauteed nicely and placed over buttered sourdough: that’s a beautiful meal. Add the poached egg as well and you have a beautiful brunch. Watercress would work well to finish the whole lot – and it’s in season as well.

Toothbrush

I never wash my mushrooms. Just give them a good clean with a toothbrush. You can always get your children to do it if they’re bored. Children love getting dirty with food and experiencing how it comes to be, even if they don’t eat it.

My two girls love raw button mushrooms so I try facilitate their addiction as often as possible. A carpaccio of raw is another simple early summer dish that let’s the beauty of the button mushroom shine. Mandolin your mushrooms, dress with oil, vinegar and salt. Grate a toasted hazelnut over them and finish with some rocket. Magnificent. Parmesan will work with it, but try an Irish sheep’s cheese such as Cáis na Tíre, which is good grated over the whole lot. This dish will work as a starter or as a side dish to some fish or lamb.

Yesterday, at the fish auction in Galway, we saw the most beautiful gurnard. It’s a seldom-used fish. You should try it more often. It also works with a light mushroom ragout.