Mushroom Ragout

We all love potatoes, especially mashed potatoes. It’s probably all that butter, but I digress. I was working out some ideas for supper menus. I wanted something featuring mushrooms. At our market we have a wonderful mushroom farmer. The original idea was to combining mushrooms and our Black Garlic jam and I probably will yet. I don’t know about you, but I cook like that. I rarely manage to make the same thing twice, fridge door cooking I call it. As in open the door and see what I have.

• 500 g assorted mushrooms – white and brown button, shitaki, oyster and beech
• 6″ sourdough or white baguette for croutons
• 1/3 cup butter for mushrooms
• Butter for the mashed
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp Black Gold Jam
• 1 medium white onion
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp sherry
• truffle oil, if you have it
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 or 4 eggs
• 6 medium potatoes

1. Slice the mushrooms.
2. Cube bread.
3. Mince garlic and thinly slice onions.
4. Melt butter in saute pan and toast bread cubes until crisp.
5. Add garlic and onion and cook until tender.
6. Remove leaves from thyme and slice sage leaves.
7. Add mushrooms and cook until tender.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.
9. Boil potatoes in a separate pot, drain and mash adding butter as needed.
10. When mushrooms are tender add bread cubes, sherry and chicken stock.
11. Poach eggs in separate pan until soft or desired firmness.
12. To plate divide potatoes and create a bowl on each plate.
13. Spoon ragout mixture into each potato bowl.
14. Top with poached egg.
15. Enjoy.