Name: Mushroom rarebit with mash & thyme gravy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1kg floury potatoes chopped into chunks; 25g butter; 100ml milk; 4 large flat mushrooms stems removed; olive oil for brushing; 25g butter; 1 medium onion chopped; 1 tbsp plain flour; 75ml Guinness or other stout; 140g vegetarian mature cheddar grated; 1 tsp English mustard; 2 eggs beaten; 2 tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed oil or olive oil; 1 medium onion chopped; 2 tsp thyme leaves plus extra to serve; 2 tbsp plain flour; 125ml white wine; 300ml vegetable stock; ½ tsp Marmite

Mushroom rarebit with mash & thyme gravy

For the mash

1kg floury potatoes
chopped into chunks
25g butter
100ml milk

For the mushrooms

4 large flat mushrooms
stems removed
olive oil
for brushing
25g butter
1 medium onion
chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
75ml Guinness
or other stout
140g vegetarian mature cheddar
grated
1 tsp English mustard
2 eggs
beaten

For the gravy

2 tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed oil
or olive oil
1 medium onion
chopped
2 tsp thyme leaves
plus extra to serve
2 tbsp plain flour
125ml white wine
300ml vegetable stock
½ tsp Marmite

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a large pan of water on to boil and salt it well. Boil the potatoes until tender, about 15-20 mins. Drain, return the potatoes to the pan and place over a low heat. Add the butter and milk, then mash until smooth. Remove from the heat and season with salt. Keep warm.
step 2
Meanwhile, brush the mushrooms generously all over with oil. Place gill-side up in a baking dish, bake for 15 mins, then remove from the oven. To make the rarebit topping, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 10-15 mins until soft and translucent. Add the flour and cook for 1 min. Reduce the heat, then add the Guinness, cheese, mustard and seasoning, stirring until the cheese has melted. Add the eggs and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 mins, but don’t overcook or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. Spoon the rarebit mix into the mushroom caps and set aside.
step 3
To make the gravy, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the onion and thyme. Fry for 10-15 mins until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 mins. Add the wine, stock and Marmite, then stir until thick. Simmer for about 5 mins.
step 4
Just before serving, heat the grill to high. Place the mushrooms under the grill and cook for a few mins until the rarebit is puffed and golden. Reheat the mash if you need to, place a spoonful on each plate along with a mushroom. Spoon gravy around and over the mash, scatter with thyme and serve.