SMOKED MUSHROOMS WITH HIGHLAND PARK INFUSED CREAM
Using grilled and smoked horse mushrooms, foraged with Andrew Appleby beside the Yesnaby Cliffs, Genevieve Taylor created an extraordinary contrast of complex flavours and textures by pairing them with a rich creamy sauce infused with the subtle smoke from Highland Park whisky, aromatic fried garlic and foraged herbs. The smoky sweetness of the sauce cuts through the earthy richness of the mushrooms, while a drizzle of heather honey emphasises one of the key flavours of our whisky. Utterly delicious!
Ingredients
75g Orkney butter (or good quality salted butter)
400g foraged mixed mushrooms, wiped clean (field, ink and blewit mushrooms are all ideal)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
150ml double cream
A handful of foraged herbs, roughly chopped (around 8-10g of picked leaves such as wild thyme, chigweed, borage or wild watercress are all ideal – leave a few for the garnish)
3-4 slices of Orkney sourdough (or any good quality – or homemade! – sourdough bread)
Sea salt
For the garnish
A drizzle of Scottish heather honey
50g Orkney Grimbister Cheese, crumbled (Wensleydale makes a good substitute)
A few foraged herbs, reserved from above
Equipment
A fire table with grill surfaces
A fire-proof frying pan – no plastic or wooden handles, and NOT non-stick!
Skewers for the mushrooms
Cloche for smoking – an old metal bowl works fine
Small wooden spoon and basting brush
Method
1. Light a wood fire or charcoal barbecue. Once it’s ready to cook on, set your fire-proof frying on the grill bars over the fire and drop in the butter. Once melted, pull the pan off to the side, away from the heat.
2. While the butter is melting, tear (rather than slice) the mushrooms into large, bite-sized pieces to create lovely craggy edges that allow the smoky flavours to be absorbed into the mushroom flesh. Thread the mushroom pieces onto skewers – using two skewers prevents them spinning around when you turn them – and brush generously with melted butter, using the basting brush, and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
3. Set the skewers onto the grill bars, positioned a little bit away from the fire so the mushrooms cook at a medium heat and cover with a cloche to trap the smoke. (If you’re grilling with charcoal, you’ll need to add a little wood to create the smoke – choose fist-sized chunks rather than chips and add one or two to your fire.) Leave the mushrooms to gently grill and smoke until soft and lightly caramelised. Depending on the heat, this will take about 20 minutes; turn the skewers over half-way through, re-covering with the cloche.
4. While the mushrooms are cooking, slide your fire-proof fire pan with the remaining melted butter back over the fire and add the garlic, allowing it to fry over a medium heat for about a minute – just long enough for its delicious scent to waft up from the pan. Pour in the whisky and let it reduce for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy. Now pour in the cream and most of the chopped herbs (leaving a few for a garnish) and stir over a medium heat for a few minutes until it thickens.
5. While the sauce is cooking, grill the sourdough slices over a high heat until toasted. Rest on a board and then cut each slice in half and divide between two plates. Slide the mushrooms off the skewers and onto the toast and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with the reserved herbs, crumbled Grimbister cheese and a drizzle of honey. Tuck in and enjoy while it’s hot!
Pairs with
12 Year Old
ABV : 40% | Volume: 700ml
Spicy and well-rounded, packed with the flavours of sun-kissed oranges, rich spiced fruitcake, molten heather honey and aromatic peat smoke