Chef Next Door logoWelcome back for our fifth episode of the Chef’s Table! This week, we have Chef Anna Marano and Chef Simon Briggs joining us from The Chef Next Door.

The Dish

  • 1 package of phyllo pastry (you will only need 4 sheets, the rest can be frozen and used later)
  • Duxelle
  • Butter-Braised Shallots
  • Garlic Mushrooms
  • Cauliflower Purée
  • Microgreens (optional – for garnish)

Ingredients

maitake, oyster (from The Mushroom Hub)
shallots, garlic, parsley (from Our Farms Organics)
cauliflower, thyme, microgreens (grown by The Chef Next Door)

Duxelle

2lbs mushrooms, chopped to various sizes
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp thyme, chopped
2 tsp parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp butter

Take half the quantity of mushrooms and process them finely in a food processor. With the remaining mushrooms, cut into slices. Over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp butter and sauté the shallots and garlic in it until soft and translucent. Add the processed mushrooms and cook until very little liquid remains. This is your duxelle. Add the thyme and parsley. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, in separate pan, sauté the rest of the mushrooms in the remaining butter until golden.
Once the duxelle has cooled completely, add the sliced mushrooms and adjust the seasoning
accordingly. This will be your filling for your pastry.

Poached Shallots

10 whole shallots (as small as possible – you can also use chippolini or pearl onions)

¼ cup butter
¼ cup water
Salt to taste

In a sauté pan, melt the butter in the water over medium heat. We do not want this mixture to boil but it should slightly simmer. Season the liquid. Add your whole shallots into the poaching liquid and cook until tender (depends on the size of your shallots – roughly 20-30 minutes).

Garlic Mushrooms

2 cups assorted wild mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
Salt (to taste)

Clean the mushrooms and cut to desired sizes depending on the mushrooms you have chosen. In a hot sauté pan, add the butter and garlic and mushrooms. Sauté until golden brown. Add the parsley at the very end.

Cauliflower Purée

½ cauliflower head, separated into florets
¼ cup cream (more or less as needed)
Salt

Boil cauliflower until fully cooked. Boiling is a better option than steaming in this case to ensure the cauliflower is totally cooked through and will purée nicely. Meanwhile, heat the cream in a saucepan so it is warm (and not boiling!). Remove cooked cauliflower and add to a blender. Stream in the cream until the desired consistency is achieved (it should be pourable, smooth, but not soupy). Season to taste.

Assembling the Pastry

4 sheets of phyllo
Melted butter (as needed)

On a clean work surface, carefully lay down 1 rectangular sheet of phyllo so that the longer edges are the sides. Brush it all over with butter. Lay a second sheet on top of the first and again, brush with butter. Take half of the duxelle and place 4-inches from the base and sides of the phyllo. Flatten the duxelle to resemble a small rectangle. Gently fold the bottom 4-inches of phyllo over the duxelles. Brush with butter, then fold the sides inward. Brush with butter again and continue folding the pastry upward until you have completely sealed the duxelle into a rectangle of phyllo. To vent the pastry, slice 3 cuts onto the top through the pastry. Brush with butter and bake in a 350F oven for about 20 minutes until the pastry is flakey and golden. Slice in half on a diagonal and serve hot.

Assembling the Dish

On a warmed plate, add about 2oz of the warm cauliflower puree to the centre in a circle. Place the hot strudel in the centre of the cauliflower purée overlapping one another slightly. Arrange the shallots and garlic mushrooms to one side of the strudel. Garnish with microgreens and enjoy!

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