FOOD WITH MIGUEL MAESTRE

Transcription

1 FOOD WITH MIGUEL MAESTRE DAYLESFORD MUSHROOMS This week Miguel meets up with top chef Alla Wolf-Tasker in the stunning countryside of Daylesford Victoria, for a mushroom forage. Executive Chef of the two-hatted restaurant, The Lake House, Alla is a third generation mushroom forager. Together they collect a bounty from the forest and then return to the Lake House to make a medley of magical mushroom treats. Alla s stuffed mushrooms are simple and delicious. And Miguel s garlic mushrooms on toast will become a weekend breakfast fav!

2 ABOUT DAYLESFORD Daylesford, Victoria is a unique spa and wellbeing destination with incredible spas, food, wine, and accommodation Daylesford is a feast for the senses. The original Swiss Italian settlers left a legacy of vineyards, olive plantations, rambling stone farmhouses and wholesome cooking traditions that are still evident in the region today Daylesford has the highest concentration of natural mineral springs in Australia: the region boasts 80% of the naturally occurring mineral spring water in Australia. This enriching feeds into everything in Daylesford from the incredible spa and wellbeing experiences to the incredible produce that gets served up at the many quality local restaurants. They even bottle it up, with their Spa Country Mineral Water label. Daylesford is easy to get to, just an hour from Melbourne Airport ABOUT ALLA WOLF TASKER Alla Wolf Tasker, executive chef and co-owner of Lake House Daylesford, promotes regional dining, local tourism and local farmers. Alla has essentially lead the charge in a not so quiet foodie revolution and was also awarded The Age Good Food Guide "Legend" Award She is a third generation mushroom hunter Alla said foraging for the fungi was new to Australia, even though her parents first taught her when she was just five years old. In Europe you can actually go to the local pharmacy and they ll tell you if something is borderline or not, Here it s becoming more popular but we don t have the expertise yet. Alla said she teaches all her young chefs how to forage for mushrooms, and, in particular, which varieties not to touch.

3 LAKE HOUSE DAYLESFORD ABOUT: The Lake House is a retreat that sits on six acres of gardens on the edge of Lake Daylesford. The retreat features a kitchen garden which includes herbs and edible flowers. Orchards are planted with olives, crabapple, stone fruits, apple, quince and medlar. The restaurant produce cutting-edge, modern-australian cuisine with an emphasis on regional and seasonal ingredients, and is run by Executive Chef, All Wolf-Tasker, and Head Chef David Green. Award Winning Cellar. RESTAURANT: 2 Chefs Hats.

4 Under the direction of Executive Chef Alla Wolf Tasker and Head Chef David Green the kitchen work from the ground up producing virtually everything, from house baked breads to an extensive charcuterie range, on the premises. Produce is often hand picked for a morning delivery. Local lamb, rare breed pork, grass fed beef, fresh water fish, sheep and goat's milk cheese, heirloom fruit from old orchards and windfalls from local gardens arrive at the kitchen, which since the early eighties, has fostered an open door policy, mentoring and supporting small sustainable producers and growers and developing a local food culture amongst fellow restauranteurs, chefs and residents. REFERENCES Daylesford - Hepburn Springs - MUSHROOMS ABOUT: A mushroom (or toadstool) is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. "Mushroom" describes a variety of gilled fungi, with or without stems. Mushroom gathering has been popular for centuries, from the Romans to the French today. Collecting mushrooms can be rewarding, yet quite dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Never pick mushrooms to eat in the wild unless you can identify them properly. Mushrooms are a low-calorie food usually eaten cooked or raw and as garnish to a meal. Dietary mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, and the essential minerals, selenium, copper and potassium. Fat, carbohydrate and calorie content are low, with absence of vitamin C and sodium. There are approximately 20 calories in an ounce of mushrooms. TIPS FOR COOKING WITH MUSHROOMS: Sensitive to light and temperature, mushrooms grow on decaying matter or in harmony with living plants and trees. The first cultivated mushrooms were the champignons of Paris, which were grown in caves filled with horse manure around the city. Mushrooms have long been prized in history by high society as a delicacy. Today there are still a few varieties in Europe and Asia, such as the morel and matsutake, which remain an indulgence on any menu par excellence. Even so, most introduced varieties cultivated in Australia are affordable, accessible and fast becoming more than just 'meat for vegetarians'.

5 Mushrooms are fresh if their caps are clean, bright, and have no blemishes or bruises. Avoid washing mushrooms. Wipe each mushroom with a damp cloth or with kitchen paper towel and only do this if needed. Mushrooms have a distinctive flavor of their own that can be brought out with simple additions such as butter or olive oil. Mushrooms contain a lot of water, so they'll shrink considerably during cooking. Also be aware that they soak up fat readily, so always use quality butter or olive oil for cooking with. Mushrooms are ideal for many vegetarian meals in place of meat. Mushrooms - RECIPE MIGUEL S GARLIC MUSHROOMS Serves: 2 Equipment: large frying pan, gas burner, chopping board, serving plate 500g mixed mushrooms (field, button, oyster, enoki, fungi, pine, chantelle), roughly chopped 1 herb garlic, peeled, roughly chopped 50ml extra virgin olive oil 2 bunch chives, finely chopped ½ bunch thyme, leaves only 2 tbsp butter ½ lemon, squeezed salt & pepper, to taste In a large frying pan, using half the olive oil, sauté mushrooms on high heat for 5 minutes or until reduced in size. Add the rest of the olive oil and garlic, sauté for a couple of minutes, add butter, chives, thyme and sauté. Remove from heat and squeeze with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and serve on a piece of fresh sourdough.

6 ALLA S GOATS CHEESE STUFFED MUSHROOMS Serves: 2 Equipment: large frying pan with lid, gas burner, chopping board, serving plate Ingredients: 12 assorted field mushrooms 75g butter 1 spring of thyme Pink sea Salt flakes (to season) Pepper (to season) 200g fresh goats cheese 100g breadcrumbs Wilted spinach Lemon slices (to garnish plate) Take the stem out and hollow out the base of each mushroom. In a large frying pan, sweat off whole mushrooms with butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Then top them with goat curd (rolled into balls) & sprinkle with bread crumbs. Cover pan with lid, cook until the curd heats through (at home you could cook under the grill) Serve on top of wilted spinach WEBLINKS