Wild mushrooms, mushroom duxelles, slow-roasted tomato and rosemary focaccia, black garlic dressing

Method

To make the focaccia

1. Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
2. Add the yeast and sugar to the lukewarm water and mix with a fork. Leave this for a few minutes and, when it starts to foam, slowly pour it into the well, mixing with a fork, until it comes together.
3. Kneed this dough mixture on a floured surface for ten minutes until it becomes soft and springy.
4. Place in an oiled bowl covered with a tea towel, then leave to prove for 30 minutes.
5. Once proven or doubled in size, knock the mix back and shape into desired sizes.
6. Oil and flour a tin or baking tray, add the dough and prove again until the pieces have doubled in size.
7. Press the sun-dried tomato into the dough and sprinkle over the rosemary and flaked sea salt.
8. Bake in the oven at 200°C for 20–25 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and place on a rack and drizzle with olive oil.

To cook the mushroom duxelles

1. While the focaccia is baking, finely chop the mushrooms and melt the spread in a large frying pan.
2. Add the mushrooms, shallots, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid released from the mushrooms has evaporated and they appear dry and are beginning to brown. Keep stirring frequently – this should take about five minutes.
3. Add the vermouth and cook until it has evaporated, and then season.

To make the black garlic dressing

1. In a blender, combine the black garlic, fresh garlic and shallot, and blend as finely as possible.
2. Add the red wine vinegar, mustard and sugar, and then blend again to combine. Add the olive oil in a steady stream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To cook the wild mushrooms

In a hot pan, fry the wild mushrooms in a little olive oil for a few minutes until softened and golden. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve

Top the warm focaccia with the mushroom duxelles, followed by the pan-fried wild mushrooms, then drizzle with the dressing.

Chef’s tip

Black garlic is quite an unusual ingredient but can be used in so many ways. You could add some mashed cloves to cream cheese for a tasty dip, or add to cheese on toast for a delicious supper. Crushed cloves can be mixed into a homemade tomato sauce and served with pasta or used as a sauce base on a pizza.