Ravinder Bhogal's mushroom recipes

Mushrooms are mysterious – cloudy, fairytale puffs risen from the earth. For an inexperienced forager, they are a minefield, so hunt with a veteran and practise caution – or stick to the wild or cultivated bounty in your local shops. They’re meaty in texture, stand up to bold seasonings and burst with unique flavour, which they release with little encouragement. It’s easy to see why cooks fall under their spell.

Miso-glazed oyster mushrooms with roast Jerusalem artichokes (pictured above)

Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the practice of spending time in woodland for better health. In lieu of Japanese flora to wander in, this dish will immerse you in the flavours of autumnal forest. King oyster mushrooms are dense and benefit from being roasted or pan-fried like meats to bring out their umami flavour.

Prep 25 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4–6

500g Jerusalem artichokes, cut in half lengthways
Salt and black pepper
Rapeseed oil, for drizzling
4 king oyster mushrooms
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 sheet toasted nori, shredded
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 handful coriander leaves
1 handful puffed buckwheat or puffed brown rice

For the miso glaze
75g white miso
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

For the soy dressing
2 tsp light soy
1 ½ tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil

Parboil the artichokes in plenty of salted water until just tender, then drain. Cut the mushrooms in half, and lightly score a criss-cross over the cut surface – this will allow the flavours of the miso glaze to penetrate.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Season the artichokes and mushrooms, drizzle with the oil and lay in a large roasting tin. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all the soy dressing ingredients and set aside. In a second bowl, combine all the miso glaze ingredients and stir well.

Remove the vegetables from the oven. Spoon the miso glaze over the scored sides of the mushrooms and pop back into the oven for another 12 -15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are charred and sticky and the artichokes golden and crisp.

To serve, arrange the mushrooms and artichokes on a platter and drizzle over the soy dressing. Top with the sliced spring onions, nori, sesame seeds, puffed buckwheat and cress, and serve at once.

Wild mushrooms on toast with curry hollandaise

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Mushrooms and buttery sauces such as hollandaise are deeply compatible. Here, the spike of curry powder adds a little friction to an otherwise mellow marriage.

Prep 30 min
Rest 2 hr+
Cook 20 min
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter

For the mushrooms
50g butter
2 tsp dried oregano
500g wild mushrooms
2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
6 sprigs tarragon, picked and finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
4 slices of sourdough bread

For the curry hollandaise
1 small shallot, peeled and diced
40ml white wine vinegar
½ tsp black peppercorns, roughly bashed
200g butter, melted
1½ heaped tsp hot Madras curry powder
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
1 heaped tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

For the hollandaise, simmer the shallot, vinegar and peppercorns in a pan until reduced by half, then add the butter and sprinkle the curry powder on top, allowing the butter to melt gently. Leave to infuse for at least a couple of hours, and preferably overnight, then strain through muslin or a fine sieve, and discard all the solids (if the butter sets while infusing, gently melt it again first).

Whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until thick and emulsified, then slowly add the butter mixture in a thin, steady stream, whisking all the while, until you have a silky hollandaise. Season well, cover and keep warm.

Wash and slice the mushrooms. Heat a frying pan and melt the butter over a high heat. When it is foaming, fry the mushrooms until they are a dark, nutty golden brown. Add the garlic and fry briefly until fragrant, then season. Scatter over the chopped tarragon and stir.

To serve, toast the bread, top with the mushrooms and generously spoon over the hollandaise. Scatter over the parsley and serve at once. A poached egg makes a happy addition, if desired.

Ravinder Bhogal is chef/owner of Jikoni, London W1. Her book, Jikoni: Proudly Inauthentic Recipes from an Immigrant Kitchen, is published by Bloomsbury at £26. To order a copy for £22.62, go to guardianbookshop.com