This is a recipe that I have only played around with recently, but it works really well both as a starter or as a main course, and is rich enough to be satisfying for both. The thing I like about this recipe is that it’s not overly spiced or flavoured in addition to the mushrooms, and therefore allows the natural flavour of the mushrooms to come out.

Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main.

Ingredients

800g mixed mushrooms (Button, Field, Shittake, etc.), thickly sliced

500g good quality white unsliced bread, diced

5 tbs olive oil

30g butter

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tsp dried thyme

200ml vegetable stock from bouillon

100ml red wine

Salt and pepper to taste

4 large free range eggs (6 if as a starter)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and place the diced bread in a roasting tin with 2tbs of the olive oil drizzled over. Roast for 15 mins until brown but not burnt. Set aside.

2. Heat half the olive oil and half of the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add half the mushrooms and cook stirring often until most of the juices have evaporated (approximately 10 minutes).

3. Add half the garlic and herbs and simmer gently for a further 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside.

4. Repeat stages 2 & 3 until all of the mushrooms are cooked.

5. And all of the mushrooms back in the pan, add the wine and stock and simmer for approximately 15 minutes over a low heat. Add seasoning to taste.

6. Whilst the mushrooms are simmering poached the eggs in the preferred manner (I prefer using ‘poach pods’ for these as I have never been able to poach properly using boiling water and a whisk!)

7. Serve a generous portion of the mushrooms and croutons and top with a poached egg. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and add chopped parsley or thyme if preferred. Serve immediately.