I see myself developing a weakness for exceptional bread. I chanced upon some to-die-for sourdough baguette and couldn’t think of anything else until I picked out a recipe to use it in. To be fair, if I hadn’t, I would have probably eaten it anyway, with some good ol’ olive oil and balsamic.
In life, these are always those few vividly memory invoking knick knacks which you refuse to get rid of, no matter how much space they occupy or how un-useful they have proven to be over the last decade. I’ve had thisbook for just about 8 years, and although I have maybe once every 2-3 years actually attempted to use it, I find it absolutely impossible to let it go. It’s one of those books that never ceases to inspire me, challenge me, and wow me. It is a melody of the finest vegetarian recipes, by the world’s most famous celebrities and the reigning chefs, from Tetsuya to Hemant Oberoi. The recipe recreated here is from London’s popular restaurant Chutney Mary’s Namita Punjabi, and it is a filling appetizer, an unassuming cross between a crostini and a bruschetta, with a seriously pleasing after effect.
Ingredients: (serves 5-6 as an appetiser)
1. 200gm new potatoes
2. 400gm chanterelle mushrooms (I used cremini)
3. 6-8 slices of good quality sourdough
4. 50gm flat leaf parsley, roughly copped
5. 25gm Parmesan, coarsely grated
6. 50ml olive oil
7. 25gm butter
8. Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside. Once cool, halve lengthways.
2. Heat half the olive oil and the butter in a pan, toss the mushrooms and the potatoes and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add the parsley, salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and toss.
3. Heat a griddle plan over medium heat. Brush the bread slices with the remaining olive oil, and place on the griddle for 1-2 minutes each side, until nice and crisp. If you, like me, don’t have a griddle pan, bake the bread in a pre heated oven for 3-4 minutes each side.
4. To serve, place the bread on a serving plate and pile with the mushroom mix. Sprinkle a bit of parsley and some grated Parmesan and serve.
Feedback:
1. We found this to be quite a filling appetiser, ideal for a nibbly dinner concept.
2. Tastes wonderful, cold and warm.
3. Next time, I am tempted to brush the bread with a bit of garlic, for added depth.
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