🍄 Chilli Garlic Mushrooms – Made for Pinot
A useful dish that is unapologetically mushroom. Serve with toasted sourdough and a glass of Pinot Noir, or as a side to a subtle meat dish, veal, roasted chicken or pan-fried eye fillet.
🛒 Ingredients
- 8–10 peppercorns
- 5 bay leaves
- 800g mixed mushrooms, cleaned*
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 red chillis, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried flakes)
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- Salt and pepper
- To serve: Flat leaf parsley leaves, sliced toasted sourdough
👩🍳 Method
- Clean mushrooms by wiping them with a damp kitchen towel. Cut where needed but keep them intact where possible.
- Boil a large pot of salted water with peppercorns and bay leaves. Add mushrooms, boil 5 minutes, and drain.
- Sauté garlic, chilli, and lemon zest in olive oil until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat and serve warm with parsley on sourdough.
📝 Notes
* I used a selection of NZ-grown mushrooms: oyster, shiitake (from F&B), Swiss browns, and button mushrooms. Check online for local growers if your supermarket selection is limited.
If you forage wild mushrooms, always check with an expert — misidentification can be fatal.
This recipe is adapted from Antonio Carluccio’s Vegetables — my all-time favourite cookbook.
🍷 Wine Pairing: Mushroom Dishes & Pinot Noir
🍄 Earth Meets Earth: Pinot Noir's forest floor notes echo mushrooms’ umami, especially with Swiss brown or oyster.
🔥 Lighter Structure, Big Impact: Pinot’s silky tannins and acidity balance this deeply savoury, aromatic dish.
💡 Try With These Bottles:
- Margrain River’s Edge Pinot Noir – delicate and expressive, with Martinborough finesse and savoury lift.
- Super Nanny Pinot Noir – bolder and darker; ideal with added roasted chicken or eye fillet.
✨ Bonus Tip: Chill your Pinot Noir slightly (15–16°C) to lift its acidity and complement the garlicky warmth of this dish.