These are easy and comforting, and go perfectly with the Acosta Versante Nord. Exactly what we all need right now. You can use any flour here, but I prefer the more flavoursome flours. Wholemeal will work, and even rye. You can make your own mayonnaise to take it to another level, just make sure you add a good squeeze of lemon too. Being Ukrainian, dill and garlic really hit the spot for me but feel free to play around with the mayo flavourings - paprika, tarragon, gochuang, you name it - this recipe is for you to explore - the wine can take it all.
Serves 2 as a light lunch or dinner with salad, or 4 as an appetiser
250g mushrooms (a mixture of portobello, chestnut, oyster and field)
150g yogurt or kefir
1 egg
Sea salt and black pepper
100g buckwheat (or any) flour
100ml cooking oil
50ml Kewpie mayo
1/2 garlic clove (or more!), finely grated
A handful of dill, chopped
Salt and pepper (maybe)
METHOD
Leave the smaller (usually oyster mushrooms) whole and slice the chestnut and field mushrooms into roughly 1.5cm thickness.
If you are using buckwheat flour, add it just before frying - as it tends to turn the batter gloopier by the minute. If you are using wheat flour - you can make this batter in advance.
If you are using yogurt, let it down with a tablespoon of milk or water. Then whisk in the egg and season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk in the flour - you will have a thick-fish batter.
Take a large frying pan and pour in the oil. You will be shallow frying, so make sure there is a 1/2cm layer of oil in the pan. Heat it until it sizzles if you drop a tiny bit of the batter in.
Dip the mushrooms into the batter and cook in batches, about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. The mushrooms should be just cooked and juicy and the batter golden, but not crispy - this is more of a pancaked mushroom situation.
Mix the mayo with the garlic and dill, see if it needs some seasoning or a little lemon juice. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes to serve
