The Cottage Smallholder

There’s nothing like chilling in someone else’s garden on a Bank Holiday Monday. It might be the last day of the three day weekend but a day snatched from the working week makes it extra special.

I used to work on Bank Holidays. Now I try and take the time off. My clients expect me to curl up for the day and it’s a chance to catch up, flop and appear vaguely normal.

Last Monday we enjoyed a few hours with Tessa and Colin having lunch in their garden. Their pair of ducks had produced five tiny ducklings two months ago. These diminutive specimens with ping pong ball heads made a great mini battalion. They followed their mother everywhere in a neat file. Their mum never kept still when they were babies. She must have had loads of early, unbroken nights. This was one intelligent duck.

On Monday we enjoyed a perfect meal. Cooked beside the table on a griddle. Apart from home cured duck breast (surrounded by ducks, we had to whisper) we guzzled steak and the best mushrooms that I’d ever tasted. Tessa confided that the gills had been brushed with Branston’s Hot Chilli Jalapeno Relish.

If you don’t have the sauce available this recipe gives them a similar mild zing. I’m not keen on mushrooms with steak but I liked these.

Danny’s zingy mushrooms recipe

Ingredients:

• Half a dozen mushrooms (quartered)
• 2 tbsp of butter
• half tsp of garlic granules
• half tsp of fresh lemon juice
• pinch of cayenne pepper (add more to increase spiciness)

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a small saucepan with the garlic, lemon juice and cayenne.
2. When the butter is sizzling add the mushrooms and turn them in the butter until they are coated.
3. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.

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