Pan-fried mushrooms and sour cherries

Do buy these golden mushrooms whenever you see them because they are such treasures. Here, they are fried in butter with cherries and wine, and spooned over truffle-spiked potato purée with a few truffle pearls to finish. Truffle pearls are an ingenious vegetarian version of ‘caviar’ made with black truffle and seaweed.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 25 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 35–40 MINUTES

30g (1oz) butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

600g (1lb5oz) golden chanterelles, brushed free of dirt

1 small glass Madeira or dry sherry

100g (3½oz) dried sour cherries

1 small glass vegetable stock or good-quality bought stock

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon truffle pearls, to serve (optional)

For the potato purée

900g (2lb) floury potatoes, cut into large chunks

50g (1¾oz) truffle butter or 50g (1¾oz) butter and 2 teaspoons truffle oil

100ml (3½floz) thick (double) cream

To make the potato purée, steam the potatoes over simmering water for 20–25 minutes until completely tender but not falling apart. Pour all the water out of the saucepan and tip the potatoes into it. Place over a low heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan to dry the potatoes.

Press the potatoes through a ricer if you have one – it will produce the smoothest mash – or use a potato masher to crush them until smooth. Beat in the truffle butter (or the butter and truffle oil) and cream. Generously season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

While the potatoes steam, cook the mushrooms. Melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir, followed by the mushrooms. Toss the pan now and then for a couple of minutes to brown the mushrooms all over. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Pour the Madeira or sherry into the pan and reduce briskly for 1 minute then add the cherries and stock and continue to simmer for 5 minutes more. Return the mushrooms to the pan, stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the mushrooms spooned over the potato purée topped with a few truffle pearls (if using).