During each class in Louviers, we spend one morning at a farmers’ market.  Everyone gets something for our picnic – either to cook or unwrap.  I always have plans for dishes we’ll prepare on our return and I await with delight and pleasure to see what everyone brings with them because it means we’ll invent and create with what the season offers.  This last week, our table looked like this before we all set to.  What’s on offer? Mussels cooked in hard cider, croque monsieur (thanks to Lucy!), a late season trio of tomatoes, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with fleur de sel, a mushroom omelette, sautéed chanterelles, gorgeous cherry tomatoes, a quick veal sauté, and more that didn’t quite make it into the photo.

The market, and its ensuing picnic, is always the best reflection of the season.  I leave you with a quick little mushroom sauté – the recipe calls for chanterelles, but you can substitute regular button mushrooms.

1 tablespoon duck or goose fat, or extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound (500g) chanterelles, trimmed and brushed clean and coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, green germ removed, minced

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 fresh sage leaves

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-heat.   When it is hot but not smoking, add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, stir, and cook until they give up their liquid, which will take 4 to 5 minutes.  If they give up a great deal of liquid, remove the mushrooms from the pan and drain away the liquid, then return the mushrooms to the pan with a drizzle of oil.

2.  Add the garlic to the pan, stir, and cook until the mushrooms are tender, 4 to 5 additional minutes.

3.  While the mushrooms are cooking, mince the herbs together, and add them to the mushrooms.  Stir, season to taste, and when the mushrooms are tender, transfer them to a serving dish.

4 side-dish servings