Wild Garlic Pancakes with Creamy St George’s Mushrooms

Method

1. Clean the mushrooms carefully using a brush, wiping away any mud with dampened kitchen paper. Trim the stems and cut the mushrooms into slices.
2. Rinse the wild garlic leaves and shake them dry. Pick off any tough stems, then lay the leaves one on top of the other and roll them up tightly. Slice the roll into fine shreds and then chop the shreds finely.
3. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (for keeping the pancakes warm).
4. Set an 18cm non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan over a medium heat and add half the butter. When the butter has melted, add the shredded wild garlic and cook gently for 2–3 minutes until wilted but still bright green. Set the pan aside to cool.
5. Put the flour into a medium bowl and make a well in the centre. Add a generous pinch of salt, then crack in the eggs and use a whisk to mix them into the flour. Put the milk into a jug and add 75ml cold water. Gradually add the milk and water mixture to the bowl, beating in a little at a time until you have a smooth, thin batter. Tip in the wild garlic and butter from the pan and mix well.
6. Wipe the frying pan with kitchen paper, and melt a extra little butter in a small pan, for greasing the pancake pan. Set the frying pan over a high heat until it starts to lightly smoke. Give the pancake batter a stir and then add a ladleful to the pan, swirling it around to coat the base to give a slightly thicker pancake than usual. Cook on one side until the top is set and the underside is golden brown, then flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden brown. Use the rest of the batter to make pancakes in the same way – you should end up with 6. Stack the cooked pancakes on a plate and when they are done, cover them with another plate or some foil, and put them in the oven to keep warm while you cook the mushrooms.
7. Wipe the pan and add the remaining butter. Set it over a medium heat and when the butter is melted add the sliced mushrooms. Toss them to coat with butter and spread them out in a single layer in the pan. Allow them to fry for a few minutes without moving, so that they brown a little, then turn them and cook until softened. Add the cream and let it bubble for a few minutes until thickened, then taste for seasoning. If the sauce is too thick add a little stock to thin it.
8. Lay the pancakes on warm plates and put a sixth of the creamy mushrooms onto the centre of each one. Fold the pancakes over, garnish each one with a wild garlic flower, and serve.

Credits

Recipe by Wild Food UK; development and photos by Otherwise