Fresh mushrooms and herbs on toast

Photography: Christina Simons
The northern autumn is arriving and in damp forests and field mushrooms are starting to sprout. We had our Mushroom picking season back in May and June but they are still around. There is something uplifting about picking them yourself.

They are better than organic (which is being hi-jacked by the multinational food monsters) being wild, they are local and they, well, are just the business. Yes mushrooms are magic. They are always on the menu thanks to Damian Pike (The Mushroom Man) at Prahran market in South Yarra.
Sure, I could fancy up a mix of them into a mushroom goulash. But in my mind you can’t improve on good old-fashioned mushrooms on toast.
It’s comfort food that takes me back to childhood when we picked them the size of flying saucers among the cow pats.
1. Clean with a stiff brush.
2. Chopinto thick slices. Sweat in a non-stick pan (hold on the butter which brings out to much juice if used at this stage).
3. Add the butter when they are cooked.
4. Use whatever fresh/dried herbs are available. Fresh Rosemary and parsley. Dried oregano and/or thyme.
5. Serve on toasted artisan made bread.