Courtesy of Chef Robert Harris

Season to Taste Catering, Cambridge

Ben Maleson, our local mushroom forager extraordinaire, brings us earthy, smoky wine cap and sweet milk cap mushrooms that are foraged in the Boston area. If you don’t have a mushroom forager delivering to you weekly, then chanterelle, morel and oyster mushrooms from your local grocer will work just as well.

20–30 bite-size or creamer-size Yukon Gold potatoes 2 cups roughly chopped raw wine cap and milk cap mushrooms (or the best mushrooms you can find)

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

½ cup shallots, minced

3 tablespoons thyme leaves

1/8 cup Madeira

1/8 heavy cream

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup Vermont Butter and Cheese crème fraîche

¼ cup chives, chopped

Salt and pepper

Kosher salt

Cut off both ends of the potato so that there is a flat surface on the bottom and top of the potato. Place into stockpot with salt, cold water and bring to a light simmer. Cook at a light simmer approximately 5–8 minutes, until mostly cooked. Drain in colander and let cool to room temperature on a cookie sheet.

Using a small melon baller or 1/8 teaspoon measuring spoon, hollow out the top of each potato. (This will be the “cup” that your mushrooms will rest in). Set aside.  While the potatoes are cooling, sear the mushrooms in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Cook until evenly golden brown, adding a generous pinch of kosher salt. Add the garlic, shallots and thyme. Cook until soft, roughly 2 minutes. Remove from the flame and add the Madeira. Return to flame and cook until reduced. Add cream and let simmer for a second.  Cool on a cookie sheet.

In a separate bowl, mix crème fraîche with the chives and season to taste. Set aside.

Line the potatoes like good little soldiers evenly on a foillined cookie sheet. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt and roast (or broil) in very hot oven until brown and crispy. Allow to cool enough to handle them. Stuff with the mushroom mixture. Warm in 325° oven a few minutes before serving, then top with a small dollop of the chive crème fraîche and serve.

Makes 20–30 stuffed potatoes.