Try out this stunning mushroom parfait recipe to impress at your next dinner party from Will Murray & Jack Croft. They say “One of our customer’s favourites, this recipe requires a good amount of prep work but it’s worth it! We think it’s the perfect starter if you want to impress”.
Jack Croft and Will Murray struck up a friendship while working at Dinner by Heston and in 2019 launched their own restaurant concept called Fallow. Together they now cook some of London’s most exciting, sustainability-focused food.
It’s that time of year again when our thoughts turn to cooking Christmas dinner for the family.
From turkey to sprouts, prawns to mince pies, here are some festive recipes to try this Christmas. Eat, drink, and be merry!
Saturday Kitchen Live
This recipe was featured in the UK on BBC Saturday Kitchen Live.
Saturday Kitchen Live is a cooking programme shown on the BBC every Saturday morning. The programme has been broadcast regularly since 2001 with different guest chefs each week.
I thoroughly enjoy Saturday kitchen and have tried many of their recipes over the years some of which I have included in my cookbook for you to try.
Mushroom Parfait
Ingredients
For the reduction:
- 375 ml/13fl oz ruby port
- 375 ml/13fl oz Madeira
- 375 ml/13fl oz brandy
- 500 g/1lb 2oz banana shallots thinly sliced
- 40 g/1½oz caster sugar
For the mushroom purée:
- 160 g/5¾oz unsalted butter
- 300 g/10½oz shiitake mushrooms cut into 2mm/1/16in slices
- 800 g/1lb 12oz chestnut mushrooms cut into 2mm/1/16in slices
- 250 ml/9fl oz mirin
- 125 g/4½oz soy sauce
- 75 ml/2½fl oz double cream
- 50 ml/2fl oz milk
For the terrine:
- 260 g/9½oz unsalted butter
- 90 g/3¼oz parfait reduction see above
- 340 g/11¾oz mushroom purée see above
- 3 free-range eggs
- salt
- 100 g/3½oz lion’s mane mushroom thinly sliced
- sourdough slices grilled, to serve
Conversions
Instructions
- To make the reduction:
- Place all of the ingredients and 125ml/4fl oz water in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Slowly simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30–45 minutes until reduced to a jam-like texture. Do not reduce too quickly as the shallots may not cook properly before the alcohol evaporates. Set aside and leave to cool.
- To make the mushroom purée:
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the mushrooms. Fry over a medium heat until dark brown in colour.
- Add the mirin. Reduce to a sticky glaze, then add the soy sauce and reduce again to a thick syrupy consistency.
- Finally, add the cream and milk and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
- Blend in a food processor or blender until completely smooth. Leave to cool.
- To make the terrine:
- Preheat the oven to 120℃/Fan 100℃/Gas ½. Place a loaf tin in a deep baking tray or roasting tin and preheat in the oven.
- Melt the butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat.
- Place the 90g/3¼oz parfait reduction, reserving the remaining reduction to serve with the finished parfait, in a food processor or blender. Add the mushroom purée and eggs and blend.
- Add the melted butter and continue blending until fully combined. Season with salt to taste.
- Remove the loaf tin from the oven and pour in the terrine mixture. Cover with a double layer of kitchen foil and place back on the baking tray.
- Place the tray in the oven. With the oven door open, carefully add boiling water into the baking tray up to the level of the parfait in the loaf tin.
- Cook for 20 minutes. The parfait should be just set and have a slight wobble in the centre.
- Remove the tray from the oven very carefully. Cool the parfait to room temperature for 30 minutes and then chill the loaf tin in the fridge overnight to set.
- Remove the parfait from the fridge and, using a spatula, lightly scrape off and discard any thick skin that may have formed. Place the parfait in an airtight container if storing further.
- To serve, scoop a generous amount of parfait onto a plate and garnish with the remaining parfait reduction and freshly shaved mushrooms. Serve with the grilled sourdough.
You may also like one of my other favourite recipes …
