Cool comfort in sweltering summer heat

Jul 4 2008 by Val Javin, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

1 lb baby button mushrooms, wiped and trimmed

420ml vegetable stock (home-made if possible, or use Marigold bouillon)

1 heaped tablespoon tomato purée

2 tablespoons extra-virgin Olive Oil (a good tasty one, perhaps even Greek)

2 tbsps dry white wine

2 shallots, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh fennel, very finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

12 coriander seeds, toasted and crushed lightly

Fresh black pepper

Pinch of Maldon salt

Pinch of unrefined caster sugar

The juice of 1 ripe lemon

1 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped

2 tsps fresh coriander, finely chopped

Place all the ingredients, except the fresh herbs and the mushrooms into a large non-reactive pan and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Add the mushrooms; simmer again for about 10 minutes. They will sweat out quite a lot of moisture. Remove the mushrooms and reduce the liquid, stirring frequently, to a coating consistency, then pour back over the mushrooms and allow the mixture to cool completely. Add the herbs, check final seasoning, and there you go. A perfect chilled first course, and an excellent accompaniment to barbequed dishes.

FINALLY, the heat of the summer is upon us, if only for a few fleeting weeks. Spot of gardening, walk along the canal, nice round of golf perhaps, a bit of sun worship, and maybe that extra glass of Pimm’s would be lovely, thank you.

But spare a thought for us poor souls who have to work in kitchens in these temperatures – the chefs, potwashers, waitresses and other staff who toil away in the superheated, airless kitchens of the West Riding all summer long. It’s not very pleasant, I can assure you.

My kitchen’s hot enough in the middle of winter but with the temperature as I write this standing at just under 80°C, it’s an inferno in there. You can practically make toast just by waving bread around for a few minutes.

So hopefully you’ll forgive me for slipping in a recipe that involves very little in the way of cooking. A classic from the 1970s, but still a fantastic, delicious chilled starter, or versatile accompaniment to fish or poultry. Best of all, you’ll be at the stove for about half an hour, tops.

Then it’s on with the Factor 30 and back out into the sun, knowing you’ve a bowl of Mushrooms A La Grecque waiting for later.

It’s a recipe you can have a lot of fun with, and of course you should feel free to remove and add things as you wish.

The classic recipe demands the wine and the coriander seeds, but I’ve always added a little fresh coriander and also some dill, which for me distills the true essence of Greek cooking; ripe tomatoes, sharp lemon, powerful herbs. It can be served warm, chilled or even hot, if you so desire, and keeps for about a week, if stored correctly.

Stephen Jackson is chef and co-owner of the award-winning Weavers Shed Restaurant.