American chef Anthony Bourdain famously said: ‘I’ve long believed that good food, good eating, is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurised stilton, raw oysters… food, for me, has always been an adventure.”
If that sounds like your idea of good eating, then it’s worth remembering that New Zealand’s backcountry is loaded with wild mushrooms. If you’re lucky enough to chance upon some on your travels, then you’ve got the perfect chance to bring the adventure of the Kiwi outdoors to the dinner table.
This recipe is set up for grilling back at home, but you can just as easily fry them in the backcountry. Triple check your fungi is safe to eat using a reputable source and if in doubt, chuck them out.
Profile
Serves: Two
Weight: 500g
Volume: 500ml
Kilojoules: 6200
Cost: $9.50
Time: 30min
Ingredients
8 large field mushrooms, washed with stalks removed
½ cup oregano, finely chopped
½ cup cashews, finely chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
½ cup grated parmesan
1½ cups breadcrumbs
¼ cup olive oil
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 200℃. Combine the cashews, oregano, garlic, parmesan and breadcrumbs with the olive oil, pile the lot onto the mushrooms and grill until golden (usually about 10min).