Bash vs. Blanchard: Mushroom Challenge | Farncombe | One Cotswold Estate, Three Award-Winning Hotels

Bash vs. Blanchard: Mushroom Challenge

Bash vs. Blanchard

The time has come for our final Head to Head challenge of 2020, for the past couple of weeks Dormy dynamic duo, Mathieu Blanchard and Kathryn Bash, have been going head (Chef) to head (Chef) to see who can create the most delicious dishes.

Oh, but only it was that easy. Each week Culinary Director, Martin Burge, has been carefully selecting a different ingredient for them to build their tastebud tingling recipes around.

For the final challenge, fun-guy Martin has selected…the mushroom!

Blanchard is currently in the lead, having won the last two challenges, so as a Christmas twist this week it’s the winner takes it all (thank you ABBA).

Now we think both of these recipes look sensational, and can’t find mushroom for improvement, but which one would you vote for? Head over to our Instagram channel (@dormyhouse) to get involved.

Bash’s Mushroom Tortellini

For this week’s challenge Bash is making pasta-tively amazing mushroom tortellini.

Bursting with fresh mushrooms and drizzled with tasty, homemade pesto this makes a super tasty supper for the whole family. Pass a fork!

Shopping List

Making your mushroom duxelles…

For your mushroom duxelles you will need:

600g mushrooms
Salt
Oil
30ml cream
Soy sauce to taste

To make your mushroom duxelles:

Firstly, blend your mushrooms in afood processor.
Then in a hot pan with oil, cook your mushrooms, the aim is to release as much moisture from them as you can.
When cooked and dry, add your salt, cream, and soya to taste.
Finally pop in the fridge to chill.

Prepping your pasta…

Firstly, place all your ingredients into a food processor and mix until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Next pour onto the worktop and knead into a ball.
Then cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When chilled roll the pastry out, using a rolling pin, so you can get it through the pasta machine.
Then roll through the pasta machine until nice and thin.

Then cut into discs.

Put a teaspoon of your duxelle in the center.

Brush water around the edge to make the pasta sticky.

Then it’s time to mould them into shape.

Finally bring a pan of water to the boil with salt, and cook for two minutes.

Perfecting your pesto…

Pickled mushrooms

To make your our pickled mushrooms you’ll need to:

Bring the ingredients to the boil.
Soak the dried mushrooms in water first to soften.
Then drain off and put in the pickle liquid and leave to one side.

Pine nut pesto

25g chopped pickled mushrooms
50g grated parmesan
50g rapeseed oil
20g truffle oil
50g chopped toasted pine nuts
Salt

Mix all the ingredients and season.

Mathieu’s Mushroom and Stilton Pithivier

This week Matt is hoping to take his third victory with a golden brown Pithivier.

Filled to the brim with mushrooms and tasty, blue cheese this recipe is a classic winter warmer.

The Pithivier originates from our pals across the channel, and dates back to the 17th century. Traditionally made with sweet fillings such as frangipane, these days the Pithiver is more commonly a savoury dish.

Matt has given a nod to English cuisine with his addition of Stilton cheese and it looks simply delicious. Yummy!

Shopping List

Flavouring your filling…

• Dice the shallots and the garlic.
• On a low heat, cook the shallots and garlic with a third of the butter, without any colour. Set aside to cool down.
• Fry the mushrooms with the second third of butter until golden brown. Set aside to cool down.

• In a separate pan cook the washed spinach with the remaining butter. Set aside to cool down.
• Then place all the ingredients into a colander to drain off any excess liquid.

• Chop the parsley and mix with the mushroom mix. Set aside ready for assembly.

Crafting your crepes…

2 eggs
150g flour
250g milk
5g salt

Method:
• Mix your flour, salt, and eggs together.
• Add the milk gradually and whisk until smooth.
• Pass the crepe mix through a fine sieve to remove any potential lumps.
• Cook in a non-stick pan making sure they are thin.
• Set aside to cool down.

Perfecting your Pithivier…

• Roll the puff pastry 2mm thick and cut out 2 discs. One disc must be bigger which will be used for the top.
• Whisk the yolks with milk together to make an egg wash.
• Take the smaller disc of puff pastry and brush it with egg wash to stick the crepe disc onto it.
• Lay the mushroom mix onto the crepe and sprinkle Stilton on top.

• Place a second crepe disc on top of the Stilton.
• Brush the crepe with egg wash and lay the larger puff pastry disc on top.
• With a knife, lightly mark the puff pastry to make a classic Pithivier pattern.

• In a middle of the Pithivier make a little hole and insert a foil funnel (this will help the moisture release and prevent the Pithivier from becoming soggy).
• Brush with egg wash and cook at 200 degrees for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 170 degrees and cook for approximately a further 15 minutes. The pastry on the bottom should be dry and crispy.

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