This is a staple in our household and we make it with whatever mushrooms come to hand or are kicking around the fridge.

We’re lucky to have friends here in France whose families have survived hundreds of years of wild mushrooming and lived to tell the tale, as like most English people we would be very wary of doing it ourselves without such assistance.

You can make this with any kind of mushrooms, fresh or dried, but avoid those “button mushrooms” from supermarkets — the Donald Trump of fungus, they have no taste whatsoever. Best to look for the big, floppy “field mushrooms,” and then liven them up with a few dried shiitake — the name in Japanese, I’m told, means “fragrant.” They’re tastier when dried and reconstituted than they are fresh.

As I said, however, you can really use any mushrooms and the mixed, dried mushrooms that some supermarkets and health food stores now sell are fine.

If you’re lucky enough to have a shop or market near you where you can buy dried mushrooms loose — Chinese supermarkets do this, for instance — don’t be shy of asking for information, such as how long you need to soak them for.

The mushroom vendor at our local market says that mushrooms are meat for vegetarians — not only have they a relatively high protein content, they also have a “meaty” consistency which is, predictably enough, harder to find if — like me — you’ll only eat food that never met its mum.

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb fresh mushrooms, any variety or mix of varieties, sliced

• 50g/scant 2oz dried mushrooms, any variety, reconstituted according to instructions on pack (or from vendor)

• Tsp dried thyme

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated

• 1 shallot, finely sliced

• Tbsp olive or good quality vegetable oil

• 150ml/ ¼ pint red wine

• 150ml/ ¼ pint stock

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

• Fresh parsley, basil or cress for garnish

What to do

Lightly fry the shallot and garlic over a low-medium heat until they visibly soften.

Add all the mushrooms and stir to mix them. Fry them over a higher heat for two minutes, then add the wine, stock and thyme, turn up the heat and boil vigorously for five minutes.

Season and sprinkle with some herbs or cress, as indicated below.

Serve with just about anything. I like them with mashed potatoes and one of the cabbage tribe, but they’re also great on toast.