Given the name of this site, I figured it was about time I got a toast based recipe up here.  This dish was inspired by some gorgeous shimeji mushrooms from Forest Fungi that I picked up at The Exeter Food Festival but could be prepared using any fresh mushrooms you can get your hands on.  It is also ridiculously quick to throw together. Just make sure you have everything ready to go before you start cooking, because it all comes together in minutes.

TIPS:

• A fairly dense bread works best as the moisture from the mushrooms will quickly soften your toast if you use something too soft. I used a spelt and sunflower loaf that I got from Sainsbury’s which kept its texture brilliantly.
• Shimeji mushrooms are well worth finding, but if you use something else, you may need to adjust the cooking times slightly. The bigger the pieces, the longer they will probably need. (For the photo, I actually bulked the dish out a bit with oyster mushrooms because I was a little short).
• Try replacing the paprika with a spoonful of chopped tarragon. This will give the dish a fresh, aniseed flavour that works brilliantly with mushrooms.

 

Ingredients

30g unsalted Butter

1 large clove garlic

100g white shimeji mushrooms (or what you can get – see above)

¼ tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

1 medium egg

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 or 2 slices of good quality bread

Butter for spreading.

Flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)

Method

1. Get a pan of water boiling for poaching the egg. Keep at a low boil until ready to use.
2. To cook the mushrooms: Put the butter into a frying pan over a med-high heat and heat until foaming. Turn the temperature down slightly, add the garlic, peeled and partially crushed with the flat of your knife, and allow it to infuse into the butter for a minute or so.
3. While the garlic is infusing is a good time to get the toast on. Cook to your own liking!
4. Turn the heat back up to med-high. Add the mushrooms into the frying pan and stir to ensure they are all evenly coated in butter. Leave to fry unmolested for a minute, shake them up again then give them another minute or so.  Add the paprika, and season with salt and pepper.
5. To poach the egg: As soon as the mushrooms are in the frying pan, break the egg into a ramekin and add the vinegar to the boiling water. Stir the water to create a whirlpool in the centre of the pan, then gently pour the egg into the centre.  Leave to poach for 2-3 minutes – as soon as the white is even coloured and opaque it is cooked.  Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and leave on the spoon to drain, until ready to serve.
6. Finally, butter the toast and place it on a plate, pile the mushrooms on the toast then top it all off with the poached egg. Finish with a little black pepper, a pinch more paprika and some chopped, flatleaf parsley if you want.  Eat immediately.