The meat of the earth: Frank Camorra's mushroom recipes

The saying that mushrooms are meat for vegetarians rings true, especially when you have a large flat mushroom that has been pan fried with butter and a sprinkle of lemon thyme, then rested for a minute to let it relax and retain its juicy flavour. It's not a grilled T-bone, but it is very tasty and substantial.

In France, vegetables prepared a la Grecque (''in the Greek style'') are cooked with vinegar or lemon, olive oil and coriander and other seasonings, then allowed to marinate in the fridge to be served cool. The vegetables make a fantastic first course, perhaps with a slice of pâté, or as a piquant accompaniment to cold roast meats or fried fish.

The risotto is a bit different from most others as you don't stand there stirring and adding ladles of stock. Once you have your rice and aromats in the pot, you add most of the warm stock, put a lid on and simmer, then take the lid off before all the stock is absorbed and stir. This creates a creamy risotto without the sore arm.

Autumn mushroom risotto with poached egg

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

150g swiss brown mushrooms, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp rosemary, chopped

350g arborio rice

125ml white wine

1 litre vegetable stock

80g butter, chopped into small pieces

50ml white vinegar

4 free range eggs (they must be very fresh or they will be hard to poach)

50g parmesan cheese, grated

Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan and saute the onion and mushrooms until golden. Meanwhile, fill a medium-sized pot three-quarters full of water and heat on the stove to poach the eggs. Add the garlic and rosemary to the mushroom mixture and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir well for one minute over a medium heat to toast the rice. Add the wine and let the rice absorb it.

Add the stock, stir to combine with rice, cover with a lid and reduce to a gentle heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the lid and check if the rice is cooked with a slight bite to it. Make sure the rice has not absorbed all the stock; if it has, add just enough warm stock so you can stir the mixture easily. Add the butter and stir for a few minutes - you will see the starch thickening the liquid as it is knocked off the rice grains. Check for seasoning and keep the risotto warm while you poach the eggs. Add the vinegar to the water and bring it to a gentle bubbling simmer. With a slotted metal spoon, give the water a gentle stir in a circular motion to create a whirlpool, crack each egg into a small bowl and gently pour it into the middle of the whirlpool. The eggs will pull up into a tight ball. Cook them for about two minutes then lift them out with the spoon and gently touch the surface, feeling for a soft centre. Spoon the risotto into a bowl and make a small dent in the middle for the egg. Place an egg in the dent and sprinkle the grated parmesan over the dish. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Mushrooms a la Greque

400ml vegetable stock

150ml white wine

50ml extra virgin olive oil

30ml apple cider vinegar

10g coriander seeds, toasted, crushed and wrapped in muslin cloth

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp tarragon leaves

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3/4 tbsp tomato paste

6 parsley stalks

1 brown onion, cut into strips

400g button mushrooms, wiped and cut inhalf

Place all the ingredients, except for the onion and mushrooms, in a stainless steel saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the onion and cook for a further five minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer for a further 10 minutes. When they are cooked, if there is too much liquid, remove the mushrooms and reduce the sauce a little to intensify the flavour. Add the mushrooms back to the liquid to chill overnight so they can marinate in the sauce.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish