Food with empathy

Kiwi cordon bleu chef Wendy Morgan's second cookbook focuses on simple comforts.

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CRUMBED MUSHROOMS WITH SHERRY CREAM SAUCE

A classy little entrée to serve to dinner guests.
Serves 4

• 8 equal-size portobello mushrooms

• ¼ cup flour, seasoned with 1 tsp porcini powder * and salt and pepper

• 2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt

• 1 cup panko crumbs

• ½ cup olive oil

• chopped chives to garnish

SHERRY CREAM SAUCE

• 50g butter

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed with ½ tsp salt

• 1½ cup sherry

• 1 cup cream

• ½ tsp porcini powder *

• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

• Freshly ground black pepper

*PORCINI POWDER

• Place dried porcini mushrooms in a spice grinder and process until fine. This will keep for ages in a jar in the pantry and is a handy seasoning for a multitude of things.

Remove the stalks from the mushrooms.

Put the flour, eggs and panko crumbs into three separate dishes. Dip the mushrooms in the flour, then into the egg mixture and finally in the panko crumbs.

Heat the oil in a frypan to a medium heat and fry the mushrooms until golden brown on both sides.

To make the sherry cream sauce, place the butter and garlic into a small saucepan and heat until the garlic starts to sizzle. Add the sherry and simmer until reduced by one third. Add the cream and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and is nice and shiny. Season with the porcini powder, thyme and black pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serve two mushrooms drizzled with the sauce per person. Sprinkle with chives.

LEMON SPAGHETTI