Vegetarian mains
Slow-cooked shallot trenne with mushrooms and rosemary
This dish is a good example of how method can turn a few ingredients into a wonderful meal. It is all about the cooking of the shallots. They totally change when cooked gently for a long time. Their eye-watering pungency transforms into a rich, sweet, sticky mass. If they look like drying out or sticking add a dash of water. It will evaporate off eventually but saves them from burning.
Cook's notes
We are using dried mushrooms to make a dark, flavourful stock. Dried mushrooms tend to hold a little grit, you'll see it sink to the bottom of the jug. Pour the stock out gently and leave the very last ½ cm or so to trap the grit.
Ingredients
- 10g dried mushrooms
- 500g shallots
- light olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 10g rosemary
- 200g Portobello mushrooms
- 1 bay leaf
- 75ml white wine
- 250g trenne pasta
- 25g Italian style cheese
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Put the kettle on to boil. Put the dried mushrooms in a measuring jug and pour over 250ml of boiled water. Leave to one side to steep. Halve and peel the shallots. Cut each half into 2-4 wedges, depending on size. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan.
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Step 2
Add the shallots with a pinch of salt. Fry them gently for 15 minutes, until they start to soften and collapse. Let them take on a little colour but add a dash of water if they start to burn or stick.
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Step 3
While the shallots cook, peel and finely chop or crush 2 garlic cloves. Strip the leaves from a good sized sprig of rosemary and finely chop them. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth or kitchen paper. Roughly chop them into a coarse dice.
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Step 4
Remove the soaked mushrooms from the measuring jug. Squeeze out any excess water and discard them. You should be left with a dark mushroom stock. Add the garlic, bay and rosemary to the shallots. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes.
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Step 5
Turn up the heat and add the wine. Let it boil and bubble until reduced by at least half. Gently pour in the mushroom stock from the jug, leaving the very last bit to avoid any grit in the bottom. Put the pan on a low simmer and cook gently for a further 20 minutes. The liquid should reduce into a rich sauce.
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Step 6
While the shallots cook, put a deep saucepan of salted water on to boil. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Add a dash of oil. Add the fresh mushrooms and fry on a high heat for 5 minutes until coloured and cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
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Step 7
When the water is at a rolling boil and the shallot sauce is about 10 minutes from being ready, slide the trenne into the water. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until tender. Add the fried mushrooms to the shallot sauce.
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Step 8
Mix well and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Remove the bay leaf. Drain the pasta and throw it together with the sauce. Pile into bowls and top with a scattering of cheese.