News : North Devon Insight

Ingredients
100g Chopped Shallots
300g Mixed Wild mushrooms
50g butter
2 cloves crushed garlic
½ bunch chopped chives
2 tomatoes
4 slices smoked back bacon cut into 2mm strips
2 sprigs thyme
4 free range eggs
50ml white wine vinegar
200g Puff pastry
1 egg yolk

Method
Roll the pastry out evenly to a thickness of about 4mm, and cut into squares of about 15cm, brush with egg yolk, then bake at 180°C for 20 minutes.

To prepare the mushrooms, remove any forest debris and cut into uniform sizes, wash very briefly in lots of cold water, then pat dry on a kitchen towel.
To prepare the tomatoes, score the top of the tomato and remove the part the stalk was attached to. Plunge into boiling water, then remove and plunge into iced water. Next remove the skin, it should just peel off. Now cut into quarters and remove the seeds; you will be left with a petal of tomato flesh - dice this and set to one side.

Sauté the chopped shallots & bacon in the butter for just 2 minutes, then add the Mushrooms, garlic and cook over a high heat for 2 minutes. Finally, add the chive & parsley, cook for one minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, adjust the seasoning and serve

Poach the eggs by boiling them in water with the white wine vinegar. Add the eggs one at a time and poach for 3 minutes.

Daniel Jimminson
Restaurateur