Sunday, October 21, 2007

Saute fresh mushrooms and squid

funnel chanterelle and golden chanterelle

Are you a choosy person when come to shopping? Me? For shoes, trying on and tromping around. Milk and egg, digging out the freshest ones (but no messing up). Fruit, f.e.e.l. (definitely no pressing). Fish, as Sher said, even talking to them if I could! No wonder why I start questioning myself am I too much when I see how people shop in here (in general). At a shoe boutique, a young lady tucked her hands in pockets, patiently listening the shop assistant explaining things (I guess about style, color and material...) for...errr... 20 minutes. At market, customers spent lot more time in, not choosing, but discussing with vendors. Some vendors may hand them a small wedge of fig or a grape to taste, then, people happily leave the food alone, vendors would pick for them.

funnel chanterelle

This month is mushroom's season, alleys and alleys of mushrooms explict Autumn's golden hue or the most exquiste shapes alluring customers. I had a good self-control and didn't touch these delicate guys, all left to the vendor. When came to the fishman, trouble! I just couldn't! Merely rely on looking (or talking) to judge is just not in my book. I picked out a few, got (kind of) scolded. The vendor picked the rest for me...

In this recipe I've used two different chanterelle mushrooms, they are the vehicle of delivering the most sensational texture: velvety yet with some bit. Don't ever try to look for a va-va-room flavor, which is not what I intend in this recipe anyway. Combined with fresh squid, topped with a poach egg, I felt my tongue teased by silk!

Recipe (yield 4 servings as the first course)

  • 4 poached eggs
  • 4 small squids, cleaned and skinned, sliced
  • about 10 oz fresh mushrooms of different types, preferable with delicated texture (e.g. the above said or enoki is also great), wiped clean, slice them if neccessary
  • 1/4 medium yellow onion, finely sliced
  • a bit of lime juice
  • chives, finely diced
  • crush red peppers
  • vegetable oil
  • salt and (white) ground pepper

How-to:

  • Pre-heat a skillet (at the same time to heat a pot of water for poaching eggs) , drizzle some oil, saute the onion for a minute or 2, add mushroom, keep the heat on medium. Once the mushrooms start changing color, add squid and salt, you may need to raise up the heat. It may only take 2 minutes to get the squid cooked (don't over-cook!).
  • Drizze a bit lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Scoop the mixture on serving plates, top with poached eggs, sprinkle chive and red peppers. Serve immidiately.

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24 comments:

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Could I please come for this meal when ever you're serving it! That looks grand for breakfast, lunch or dinner!!

Katie Zeller said...

One doesn't touch the food here in France, either. I found that very hard to get used!
Love the egg on top - perfect crown!

Amy said...

This is gorgeous! There's nothing I love more than wild mushrooms.

aminah said...

I really like the photos! hope all is well and you are enjoying life in Barcelona!!!

Anh said...

The mushrooms are beautiful!

Gattina Cheung said...

Tanna, as breakfast maybe too rich :) :) but in preparing, it's surely as fast as cornflake and milk!
Please come! but we will go out and have wine & tapas for breakfast!

Katie, really?! I don't think I can ever get used to that. Thanks for the compliment :)

Amy, Thank you! I'm not sure if they're wild... have you heard Chinese gold needle mushroom? The funnel chanterelle looks and tastes very close to it.

Aminah, thanks with hugs! Seem I the only one enjoy the new life in here *lol* My husband sort of... well, let see if he changes to be less critical later.

Anh, thanks for the sweet words!

Nabeela said...

The farmer's market I go to in Sacramento highly encourages people to touch vegetables before they buy. I am lucky in that regard!

FH said...

My husband is picky!! It takes a long time for him to buy anything! Not me!:))
That is a huge Mushroom!

Cynthia said...

Everytime, everytime, everytime I visit this blog, you torture me :) Don't stop (lol)

Anonymous said...

Lovely presentation of your dish. I love fresh mushrooms and usually just stir fry them with garlic and some oyster sauce.

Mishmash ! said...

the chive on that poached egg is so beautiful!

Callipygia said...

So hard not to touch and stroke beautiful produce. Chantrelles are so delicate and silky, even their name is luxurious sounding huh?

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Beautiful! I love mushrooms, especially for breakfast.

Chris said...

Who knows - but I have never had Chantrelles. Go figure. Looks wonderful!

Anonymous said...

That dish has two things I love in it! Mushrooms and egg! YUM :) Ooooh...I wish we could get wild mushrooms here!

Nabeela said...

You've been tagged Gattina!

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Oh, my gosh, you and I better never going shopping together. We'd never make it out! I take forever making decisions. I wouldn't take long to decide to buy those mushrooms though. They are perfect and so lovingly photographed.

Edith said...

hmmmm mushroom my favourite.

Kajal@aapplemint said...

I'm picky too. I wasn't like that a few yrs ago but as i educate myself more n more in the culinary i get pickier. I 'd even come back without the item if it wasn't up to mark ... sometimes i wonder if thats a good thing.
I love the first photograph here. Fantastic light and like the composition with the jutes sack.
This dish looks fab !

Anonymous said...

Gattina! I'm dazzled by those beautiful mushrooms! You really are living in one of the best place for food.

Young Werther said...

OMG just discovered your blog and love the recipes. Hope you don't mind me adding a link, easier to visit :)

Thank you

Anonymous said...

Gattina, you're back! All the exciting things happen when I'm absent (>_<) From the looks of things, it looks like you've settled down nicely into your new home, and if those mushrooms are anything to go by, the new access to different ingredients is providing a wonderful inspiration to your culinary concoctions :D

Bong Mom said...

hey that girl in the pic reminds me of your friend's daughter in the US, remember she used to be in there at many of the backdrops.
You must have made friends there too...how nice. Now you need some vendor friends :D

aminah said...

chanterelle!!! thats whatb they are called...I didn't know what they were called in English...in Norwegian they are called kantereller (close but not quite)...these are the mushrooms I picked with the kids and D if you remember?
Brilliant recipes and photos!