Halloween Special: Mushroom Skulls
- Daniel
- Oct 30, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: May 21
It is this time of the year. October is probably my favorite month (just a notch higher than December). I am also a fan of horror movies (that explains right?). There is a saying: every day is Halloween for a horror fan, we just go crazy in October.
Anyway, I tried making this on a black colored Foccacia-like-bread It didn't turn out as expected. The bread is soggy and dense and not fluffy and crispy. A close InstaFam of mine, @vincehomemade suggested a separate dish without the bread. It just clicked. I heeded his advice and redid everything again. It turned out brilliantly.
Does it look like a graveyard?
My youngest kid dislikes mushrooms but devoured this. She told me that it looks like a graveyard and it was too wicked cool not to eat. Here I wish you lovely people a very Happy Halloween!
Ingredients:
(Serve 4)
Toasted Mushroom Sauce:
Shiitake Mushrooms Stems Removed, 125g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 TBSP
Red Onion Finely Sliced, 1
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper, Pinch
Dried Rosemary, Pinch
Heavy Whipping Cream, 120g
Mushroom Skulls:
White Button Mushrooms, 200g
Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP + 1 TBSP
Red Onion Finely Minced, 1
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper, Pinch
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Dried Sage, Pinch
Cayenne, Pinch
Nori Flakes, Pinch
Pickling Juice Homemade / Fresh Lemon Juice, A Splash
Equipment:
Blender
Cast Iron Skillet
Directions:
Please visit my "How To Pickle Almost Anything" page for the recipe.
Make the roasted mushroom sauce
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, dry toast the mushrooms until aromatic and browned on all sides.
Transfer mushrooms to a blender.
In the same skillet, drizzle olive oil and add onion.
Season with salt and pepper.
Saute until lightly caramelized.
Add garlic and saute until aromatic.
Add rosemary and cook for another minute.
Pour in heavy cream and cook for 1–2 minutes until just warmed through.
Transfer everything to the blender with the mushrooms.
Blitz until smooth.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Blitz again if needed.
Transfer sauce to a bowl and set aside.
Optional tip: Clean the blender with warm vegetable stock, blitz, season with herbs, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of sesame oil. It makes a quick soup!
Carve and cook the mushroom skulls
Slice mushrooms in half.
Use a paring knife to make 3 small slits for eyes and a nose.
Add shallow slits below to resemble teeth.
Use a chopstick to gently poke and define the facial features.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 TBSP of butter.
Add onion and sauté until translucent.
Season with salt and pepper and continue sautéing until lightly caramelized.
Add garlic and sauté until aromatic.
Add mushroom skulls and sage, toss gently.
Add 1 TBSP of butter.
Cover and cook for 2–3 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned.
Add pea shoots and sauté until just wilted.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Plate and serve
Spoon 2 generous dollops of mushroom sauce onto serving plates.
Dust with cayenne and nori flakes.
Add a splash of lemon juice or pickling brine over the sauce.
Arrange pea shoots and mushroom skulls on top.
Serve immediately.
Let's feast...
Mushroomlicious...
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