A classic Spanish tapa dish. Don’t fork out for fancy mushrooms as ordinary button ones work perfectly here, taking on the flavours of the garlic, oil and white wine.
Champiñones al ajillo – to serve 4 as a tapa
- 250g button mushrooms, halved or quartered depending on what size they are
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 4 tbsp dry white wine or 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the mushrooms with the garlic and chilli over a medium-high heat. Add some salt and pepper as the mushrooms are cooking. The mushrooms will soak up all of the oil first and then release it again with their juices. Add the white wine or lemon juice, lower the heat and cook, uncovered, until the mushrooms are really soft, the juices have almost evaporated and the oil is sizzling through. This should take 15-20 minutes in total.
Stir in the parsley and serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Drink with: a glass of rich and nutty Amontillado sherry.
