Mushroom Miso Butter Recipe
by Claire Thomson
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Easy
Mushroom miso butter will be the undoing of me. Super quick to make, your fridge should never be without it, ready to be spooned into a fluffy just-baked potato, stirred through some cooked noodles or steamed rice, or used to sauté some green vegetables as a simple side of veg. You could also use it generously, leaving a chunk to melt obligingly onto a piece of grilled fish or meat or all barbecued vegetables, goodness, it’s even great slathered in a jazzy grilled sandwich or stirred through a
soup to serve. This recipe will have you asking yourself, what doesn’t go well with miso butter?
This keeps well in the fridge, for at least a couple of weeks, but you could halve the recipe if you are worried about butter consumption! You have been warned.
From Mushroom by Claire Thomson (Quadrille, £22), photography © Sam Folan
Ingredients for the Mushroom Miso Butter
- 30g dried porcini mushrooms or dried wild mushrooms
- 1 large shallot, very finely diced
- 75ml white wine or cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons red miso (although white is also fine)
- 200g butter, softened
- salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
How to make Mushroom Miso Butter
- Add the dried mushrooms to a heatproof bowl, pour over 75ml (3fl oz) of boiling water and leave to soak for about 10 minutes until soft. Once softened, remove the mushrooms and finely chop, reserving the soaking liquid.
- Bring the shallot, chopped mushrooms and vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over a moderate heat and simmer vigorously until all the liquid has evaporated and only the shallot and mushrooms remain in the saucepan. Add the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment behind, and simmer vigorously until all the liquid has evaporated. Allow to cool completely.
- Beat the miso and shallot and mushroom mixture into the butter and add a good grind of salt and black pepper to taste, if required, and if you used unsalted butter. Roll the mixture into a cylinder using greaseproof paper to shape and wrap it.
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Store your mushroom miso butter in the fridge (it will keep for a couple of weeks) and slice to use.
About the author
"I was born in Zimbabwe and spent my early childhood there before moving to London aged 8, from the city to Shropshire, in deepest countryside, until leaving home with a backpack and books (in a time before kindles). I have cooked in many places around the world and think cooking good food with interesting people from wherever in the world is where I am happiest. Also too, my own kitchen table with the children home from school, cup of tea, glass of wine and so on. Professional chef, food writer, author and mother of 3, I am almost always in an apron and am never without something to cook, someone to feed. Have knives and will travel!"
