The FiFi Report 406

Italian mushroom ragout …adulterated from  Kylie Kwong: Heart And Soul
Kylie says it’s “inspired by Franca and Stefano Manfredi …this scrumptious mushroom recipe symbolises the Manfredi family: down-to-earth, full of substance, elegant, vibrant and comforting. This ragout is delicious simply served with crusty bread, or as a side dish to accompany roasted poultry or meat. You should be able to get most of the mushroom varieties in leading supermarkets and selected fruit and vegetable stores. If you can’t find them all, just use a selection of what’s available.”
Serves: as part of a banquet for 4-6

8 garlic cloves, crushed
4 salad onions, trimmed and finely sliced ( or use spring onion).
1 tablespoon sea salt
200 g fresh button mushrooms
100 g fresh oyster mushrooms
150 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
100 g fresh Swiss brown mushrooms
100 g fresh enoki mushrooms
100 g fresh black cloud ear fungus
125 g unsalted butter, roughly chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch cracked white pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

  • Slip into your fav Hermes tracksuit.
  • Pull on your Chloe lambskin boots.
  • Pour a big fat glass of wine.
  • Ask Mr Clooney to pull his face away from the Olympics and get into the kitchent to chop up the garlic and onions.
  • You can prepare the mushrooms.
  • Throw garlic, onions and salt in a heavy-based pan.
  • Sprinkle in all the mushrooms except enoki and cloud ear fungus.
  • Top it all with butter, olive oil and pepper and place over high heat for 5 minutes, without stirring, to allow the flavours of the onions and garlic to penetrate the mushrooms. (You got to love a bit of garlic penetration.)
  • Add wine to your glass and half a glass to the saucepan.
  • Then add remaining mushrooms, stirring to combine.
  • Pour another wine or two to relax.
  • Then reduce heat and simmer. That’s you and George.
  • Then do the same with the mushrooms: simmer uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are just tender as George on a good night.
  • Accessorise with green touches of parsley
  • Serve with lamb and crusty bread.
  • Yum.