Wild Mushroom Spaghetti

I cooked this ages ago I think and for some reason can’t find my recipe notes: either I failed to make any (which seems unlikely as I obviously took photos) or I didn’t save the document properly when I wrote it up (or have accidentally deleted it). Although I do remember pretty much making it up as I went along: purely based on the fact that chanterelles had been on offer in Tesco.

My reasoning with the 2-step mushroom approach was that I didn’t want the spicy, fruity taste and aroma of the chanterelles to be masked by the creaminess of the chestnut mushroom sauce so instead sautéed them simply with butter, lemon and parsley.

Quantities given here are very much estimated: as I say this was pretty much a throw-together job so just use your judgement and add ingredients more or less to your own tastes.

Wild Mushroom Spaghetti

serves 2

olive oil

1 banana shallot, finely chopped

1 large clove of garlic, sliced

2 handfuls chestnut mushrooms, sliced

1-2 tsps fresh thyme leaves, picked

splash of white wine

2 tbsp crème fraîche

15g butter

2 handfuls chanterelles, larger ones torn into 2 or 3

small handful parsley, finely chopped

½ lemon, juiced

200g spaghetti

Heat a glug of olive oil in a sauté pan and add the chopped shallot. Fry fairly gently for 10 minutes or so until softened.

Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes more before adding the mushrooms and thyme.

Turn the heat up and cook for a few minutes more and when the mushrooms are nearly cooked add a splash of wine. Let the wine bubble up and then turn the heat back down to low.

In the meantime cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted boiling water according to package instructions.

In a separate small frying pan heat the butter with a splash of oil and when it starts to foam throw in the chanterelles. Cook for a few minutes then stir through the chopped parsley and some lemon juice to taste (you want the lemon it to enhance the other flavours, not overpower).

The pasta should now be nearly ready so add the crème fraîche to the chestnut mushroom pan, stirring all together well for a couple of minutes.

Check the seasoning carefully, adding a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Add the drained spaghetti and a tablespoon of reserved cooking water (to loosen the sauce) to the crème fraîche and mushroom sauce.

Mix well and divide between two plates.

Top with the sautéed chanterelles and some shaved parmesan.