Mushroom Ragout with Lardons and Roasted Garlic

Ease of Preparation: Easy
Time of Preparation: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1-kilogram mixed mushrooms, including some of the following: button, shitake, oyster, chanterelle and crêpes (2 pounds)
• 6 ounces bacon, cut into lardons
• 1 ounces butter
• 1 head garlic, roasted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups crème fraiche (375 millilitres)
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 6 large whole Portobello mushroom caps

Method:

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit

Place a whole head of garlic on a baking tray in the oven and leave to roast for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, clean and prepare the mushrooms. Remove and dirt with a mushroom brush and cut off the woody stems. Cut the button mushrooms into halves or quarters depending on their size and break the other mushrooms apart into bite-sized pieces.

Fry the lardons in a pan. Once crispy and the fat has rendered, remove them and set aside. Fry the mushrooms, starting with the densest ones that take longer to cook first, and cook them for a couple of minutes, tossing all the time. If you need more fat, add a small knob of butter. Put the Portobello cap on the hot grill.

Remove the garlic head from the oven and chop off the top with a pair of scissors. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the pan with the mushrooms. Add the crème fraiche and chopped parsley. Stir well and serve in a grilled Portobello mushroom or in potato baskets.