Simple Provisions

Here I am on holidays! And I am enamoured with California. We’ve driven from the foggy, rugged coast of the north to the searing heat and modernist architecture in the southern desert. The diversity and beauty has been startling and I’ve loved getting to know the West Coast. Next stop is Oregon and Washington by way of a camper van – more adventures ahead!

I’m taking a moment out from sitting by the pool at the deliciously mid-century Ace Hotel in Palm Springs (I know. Tough life, right?) to share a recipe of mine that has just been published in a magazine, a real-life printed magazine! Remedy Quarterly is a lovely little journal full of food writing and recipes. The latest issue is centred on the theme of Discovery and I wrote about my discovery of cooking as a way to find my sense of home in New York City. I shared this recipe for baked mushrooms that I cooked at least once a week over Winter.

This is comfort food made for dark, chilly days when you want the oven on and warming your kitchen. The earthiness of the mushrooms and thyme is balanced by the brightness of the lemon and the sharpness of the parmesan. This mixture goes beautifully on toast, a bed of polenta or even mixed into some fresh pasta.

If you’re interested, you can pick up a copy of Remedy Magazine at these stockists or order it online.

I’ve also included some photos below from our stay in Big Sur, the home of giant redwoods and a rocky, dramatic coastline that kind of matches this recipe.

Baked Lemon and Thyme Mushrooms

Serves 2, takes around 20-30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons grated parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 400F/200C.

Zest the lemon, reserving the juice for later. Combine the zest, thyme and enough olive oil to make the mixture pourable in a bowl. Clean and slice the mushrooms and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with half the olive oil mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the parmesan over the mushrooms and return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is lovely and golden.Drizzle the remaining olive oil mixture and some lemon juice (to taste) over the mushrooms.

Serve on a thick slice of crusty, toasted bread rubbed with a clove of raw garlic, or over a bed of creamy polenta.

Other recipes you might like: