A delicious nod to the season
As the cooler months start to roll in, there’s something special about a warm, savoury dish that brings people together. This wild mushroom and parmesan sformato is rich, earthy, and wonderfully comforting – the kind of meal that feels right at home on a cosy autumn afternoon.
Chef Matt Conquest says: “It’s easy to make, perfect for sharing, and ideal as a starter or light meal.
“Served with crusty sourdough or fresh greens, it’s full of flavour and simplicity. And the best part? You can swap out the mushrooms for your favourite seasonal vegetable – like cauliflower or baby spinach – to suit your tastes.”
Warm, satisfying, and made for good company – it’s what Living Gems life is all about.
Wild Mushroom and Parmesan Sformato (Italian set cream)
Makes 8 x 120 ml moulds
INGREDIENTS
10 g dried wild mushrooms, soak in water until soft
10 g dried porcini mushrooms, soak in water until soft
100 g field mushrooms, sliced
100 g button mushrooms
25 ml extra virgin olive oil
Truffle oil to finish
Seasoning
6-8 100-120 ml oven-safe moulds (Chef Matt uses dariole moulds but you can use ceramic moulds).
For white sauce
375 ml milk
40 g butter
25 g flour
2 eggs, whisked, then set aside
1 cup grated parmesan
METHOD
- Remove soaking mushrooms from the water. Add all mushrooms together.
- To make the white sauce, heat the milk in a separate saucepan.
- In a bigger saucepan, melt butter over low heat, add flour and stir, cook for 4 minutes.
- Add hot milk gradually, allowing the sauce to boil again before adding more.
- Once all the milk is in, add parmesan and cook until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat up a fry pan, add olive oil and fry mushrooms. Cook down until mushrooms are cooked.
- Cool down the mushroom mix then blitz in blender until smooth.
- Turn oven on and set to 150oC.
- Ensure mushroom mix has cooled (this is important – you don’t want to scramble the eggs), then add eggs and blend together.
- Fold mushroom mix through the white sauce and mix well. Season well and put truffle oil in to taste.
- Place your moulds in a deep oven tray and spray the moulds with cooking oil so they won’t stick.
- Pour the mix in your moulds and then fill the tray halfway up the moulds with hot water. Cover with foil or lid.
- Place the tray in the oven on the middle shelf and cook for 30-35 minutes or until set. Check after 30 minutes.
- The sformato should be set like a panna cotta – it should look smooth and glossy and come away from the mould but hold its shape.
To serve, you can accompany the sformato with garlic-rubbed crisp breads and rocket, asparagus, and parmesan salad, with truffle oil drizzle or your favourite side dishes to your liking. They can also be made a day before and gently reheated when you are ready to serve.
