Truffled Mushroom Eggs (V) from The Cheese Life

Truffled mushroom eggs
By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“My favourite mushrooms are Scottish chanterelles, but then I’m a bit fancy like that. Try to find a mix of mushrooms – wild, button (white), field and chestnut (cremini) – to add different flavours and textures. And when it comes to the cheese, we love Spenwood, a hard sheep’s milk cheese from Berkshire. But you could use similar cheeses, such as Berkswell, Manchego, pecorino or Ossau Iraty. Whatever you decide, don’t skimp and make sure you do both layers of grated cheese as it really makes the difference.” Mathew Carver and Patrick McGuigan, authors of The Cheese Life

Serves 2

Oil, for frying

200g (7oz) mushroom, sliced

(try to get a mix of what’s in season, see introduction)

2 teaspoons confit garlic butter (see the aligot recipe on page 87)

50ml (2fl oz) double (heavy) cream

Drizzle of truffle oil

Juice of ½ lemon

2 eggs

2 thick-cut bread slices, toasted

90g (3¼oz) Spenwood cheese (or other hard sheep’s milk cheese)

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon chopped parsley, to garnish

In a pan over a high heat, add a drizzle of oil and cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes until softened and taking on some colour. When the mushrooms are nearly cooked, add the garlic butter and cream to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Add a small drizzle of truffle oil and the lemon juice, and cook for 1 minute more until the cream is bubbling.

In a second pan, add a drizzle of oil and fry the eggs over medium heat for 4 minutes.

Place the toasted bread on a serving plate and, with a fine grater, coat the slice with a thin layer of Spenwood. Top this with the cooked mushrooms and then the egg.

Grate over another thin layer of Spenwood and garnish with the parsley.