From Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson
Serves 8
Ingredients:
10g dried porcini mushrooms
150ml boiling water from a kettle
50g butter
1 tbsp garlic oil
500ml milk
500ml double cream
3 star anise
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
900g potatoes
900g parsnips
Method:
1. Soak the mushrooms in the boiling water for about 20-30 mins.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 220C. Heat the butter and garlic oil in a large pan.
3. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid, then finely chop the mushrooms and add them to the pan to cook for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the mushroom liquid, milk, cream, star anise and salt and pepper.
5. Without peeling the potatoes or parsnips, slice them into 1cm round slices and add to the pan.
6. Bring the pan to a bubbling simmer and then gently cook, partially covered for 20 mins or until the potato and parsnip are tender but not mushy.
7. Decant into a gratin-type, ovenproof dish about 30m x 7cm deep.
8. Cook in the over for about 40 mins (longer if cooked ahead and left to cool before finishing in the oven) or until the top is coloured in places and the gratin looks bubbly underneath.
La Femme Version:
I know you can’t always get dried porcini in KL so sometimes I have used a mixture of fresh mushroom that have included some shitake for extra flavour (and obviously use more than 10g – adjusting according to your taste).
Wine Matching
This is a wonderful and easy accompaniment to roast meats. The creamy earthiness of this dish is crying out for a reasonably weighty white or indeed rosé wine such as the deliciously fruity Chateau Unang rosé.