Giancarlo Caldesi of renowned restaurant Caldesi in Campagna in Bray has kindly reproduced some of his wonderful restaurants for you to try at home which we will be posting on our website.  Why not have a go at reproducing it for your family and friends!

Funghi trifolati alla Giancarlo 

Giancarlo’s mushrooms

Trifolati or al funghetto means “sliced like mushrooms” and when it is written on a menu it will means your vegetables, not necessarily mushrooms have been sliced and fried, usually with some garlic and herbs.

Mushrooms are often in need of a little flavour and as Giancarlo puts it “you need to put the woods back into them”.  He means that scent of the dark, dank woods where mushrooms grow; by adding some thyme and rosemary you infuse the woody herby flavour back into typical supermarket mushrooms. All I know is that his tip of adding herbs ad cooking them over a high heat works.

Makes 300g cooked weight, serves 4 as a vegetable side dish

50ml extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

3 large sprigs of thyme

3 to 4 sprigs rosemary

Half to one red chilli, depending on strength, finely sliced

Generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

500g mixed mushrooms, (eg white cup, oyster, portobello, crimini, porcini) washed or brushed as necessary, thickly sliced

100ml tap water or stock

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and when hot add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, chilli and salt and pepper.  Fry for just a minute and then add the mushrooms and cook them on a high heat, tossing or stirring frequently.  When the water from the mushrooms has evaporated, and they have become browned and slightly crisp they are ready.