Garlic Mushrooms - knitting needles!

Now get some tin foil. Make little cups/ boats big enough for the mushroom caps to sit in. Yes. I know. They were big mushrooms. So make big boats :-). The rim of the boat/ cup should come higher than the top of the mushroom that’s going to sit in it.

Yes, you can wear a pirate hat while making the boats if you like.

Yes, or a sailor hat.

No. Not a Stetson. Oh. Alright then. You can wear a Stetson. Yes, I know Stetsons are cool. Will you put the gun away now, please? Pretty please?

On with the motley. Whatever motley may be. Take your mushroom caps. Take your knitting needle. See? You knew a knitting needle was going to come in somewhere, right? Well, it is. It’s going to go in the mushrooms. Push holes through the cap, frill side to skin side, with the knitting needle. Don't worry that the holes seem to close up some.

Cover the frilly side of the mushroom caps with the garlic butter. Make the butter layer thick.

Put the mushroom caps in the tin foil boats.

Heat up the oven. HOT. Put the mushroom boats in.

This is where the magic happens. The secret’s in those little holes you made. The butter starts to melt in the caps - and runs down through the holes. The melting butter cooks and flavours the inside of the caps. The melted butter seeps to the bottom and pools under the caps. The oven’s hot. So the butter’s hot. It cooks/ fries the skin side from the underneath. And remember those bits of garlic you mixed into the butter? They won’t fit. Down the holes. So they sit there on the frills. Cooking.

This next bit is purely optional. You can put the mushroom caps under a hot broiler for a while to brown the garlic a little. But don’t let them burn or scorch. Really. You don’t. Trust me on this.

No, I’m not a doctor. Yes, you can trust me on this anyway. Well, about burnt garlic, at least.

OK. You’re done. Take the caps out of the boats. Throw away the boats and the melted butter, unless you don't want to. I have no idea why you wouldn’t want to throw them away, but the choice is entirely yours :-P. Pat the bases dry. Put them on a plate. If they live that long .

So there you are. Why every kitchen needs a knitting needle. Or at least, why I think it does. Now it’s your turn. What unusual item is in your kitchen, and why?

No. Not that one. I’m probably too young :-).