King Oyster Mushroom Carpaccio

It is that time of year; after such dry weather the fungi are just looking for a bit of moisture to magically spring up from the ground. Oliver has created this delectable raw mushroom dish capturing everything the giant Oyster has to offer -both earthy and succulent, he describes it as “The Flavours of the Forest Floor”

Ingredients for 4 people

For the Dressing
2 Lemons, zest & juice
100ml Rapeseed Oil
1 tablespoon Truffle Oil
1 Red Chilli, diced
Salt 

2 tablespoons Toasted Sunflower Seeds
2 tablespoons Breadcrumbs 
300g Giant Oyster Mushrooms
120g vintage Red Leicester
1 tablespoon chopped Wood Sorrel and Chive

Method
- Begin by preparing the dressing.  Combine the lemon juice and zest with the 2 oils, add the chopped chilli, season with salt, then set aside to infuse.

- Put a small heavy based pan over a moderate heat. Toss in the sunflower seeds and then the breadcrumbs. Shake the pan so they toast evenly then take off the heat and set aside.

- Carefully slice the mushrooms either on a mandolin or with a very sharp knife. Try to maintain the whole profile of the mushroom, arrange these across individual serving plates.

- Use a wide-mouth peeler to shave the cheese over the mushrooms.

- Sprinkle on the seeds and breadcrumbs, scatter the chopped herbs and finish with the dressing.

- Serve at an ambient temperature with sourdough bread or focaccia.

© Peter Gladwin