July is a great time for the keen home cook. There is a plethora of wonderful fruit and vegetables on offer. For the forager, the most exciting thing is the appearance of Chanterelle mushrooms, with their inviting aromas of wet earth and pronounced notes of apricot. One of my favourite things to eat on summer evenings is fresh Chanterelles on toast – it’s very simple but oh-so delicious! Serve alongside Baccolo Bianco Puglia IGT, 2023, a summer white from southern Italy, full of exotic fruit flavours and refreshing acidity.

Ingredients (serves 2)

15 g sunflower oil

75g chanterelles

1 fat clove of garlic, peeled

50g banana shallot, sliced very thin

60g unsalted butter

75 ml dry white wine

15g sliced mixed herbs tarragon, parsley, and chives.

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

2 slices sourdough

Brown shrimps (optional)

Method

Clean the chanterelles. Don’t wash them as you will lose a lot of the flavour. Use a soft toothbrush and paper towel.

Sauté the shallots in half the butter till soft. Remove from pan and set aside.

Sauté the mushrooms in the oil with a little salt and the garlic clove.

When cooked, discard the garlic and return the shallots to the pan.

Add the wine and reduce by ¾.

When reduced, stir in the remaining butter, swirling the pan to create a sauce. Stir in the herbs and correct the seasoning. Set aside to keep warm.

Brush the bread lightly with olive oil and toast in a hot frying pan.

Pile the mushrooms on top of the toast, allowing all the juices to soak in. If you fancy it, few brown shrimps tossed through the mushrooms at the last minute are a nice addition.