Starter Mediterranean-inspired
Balsamic-marinated mushroom skulls with thyme
Vegan
Editorially prepared
Mushroom skulls roasted with garlic and thyme, then dressed while hot with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Serve cold on a shallow platter as a small dish for a Halloween meze spread.
Plan this meal
Set your servings and add the meal. Open your plan to choose more meals and find your combined shopping list.
Find your selected dishes and combined shopping list in the collection.
COOK YOUR WAY
Take this recipe to the kitchen
Start a session to tick off ingredients and steps and use timers.
Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
For larger quantities, keep the mushrooms in a single layer on the tray. Carving time increases with the number of mushrooms. If roasting in batches, allow extra roasting time and combine each batch with its share of the marinade while still hot.
Substitutions
Substitute amounts are adjusted to your selected servings.
- Instead of dried thymefresh thyme
Instead of dried thyme, use the leaves from a few fresh sprigs, as offered in the original variation. Add them to the garlic oil and discard the woody stems. The flavour will be fresher and more delicate.
Shopping for this recipe
Your list uses the selected servings and fridge. Stock quantities are unknown — check you have enough.
Optional ingredients and substitutions
You’ll need
Oven · Large rimmed baking tray and baking parchment · Chopping board and small sharp knife · Rigid straw, preferably metal · Small bowl and pastry brush · Broad spoon · Shallow lidded container for marinating · Shallow serving platter and cocktail sticks
Method
0/7 stepsCarve the skulls
Set the oven to 190°C conventional; it can heat while you carve. Wipe 400 g of mushrooms clean with a damp towel and dry them. Trim only the dirty stem ends. Halve each mushroom lengthways through the centre of the cap and stem, keeping half a stem on each piece. Place flat-side down on the board. Cut two eye sockets into the rounded cap with the straw, twisting it and removing the cut pieces. Use the knife to carve a small nose and make a few shallow vertical tooth grooves in the stem. Allow approximately 40 minutes for this stage.
Carve the skulls Brush with seasoned oil
Line the tray with baking parchment. Peel and finely chop 2 pcs of garlic. Mix two thirds of the olive oil with the garlic and ½ tsp of dried thyme in the small bowl; reserve the remaining oil for the marinade. Brush the mushrooms with the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the tray, flat-side down with the faces upwards. Spread the garlic pieces out so they do not fill the eye sockets.
Brush with seasoned oil Roast the mushrooms
Put the tray into the preheated oven and roast for approximately 15–20 minutes from insertion. After 15 minutes, test the thicker part of a cap with the tip of a knife: it should slide in easily, and the mushroom surfaces should be slightly wrinkled. If still firm, continue roasting and check every few minutes. The mushrooms should be tender and juicy but keep their shape; do not wait for them to dry out.
15:00Roast the mushrooms Dress while hot
Immediately after roasting, lift the hot mushrooms into a shallow container with a broad spoon, including the tray juices. Add 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and the remaining reserved olive oil. Gently lift the mushrooms and spoon the marinade over them until all are coated. Do not shake the container, as the stems may break.
Dress while hot Cool briefly
Once the marinade has been added, leave the mushrooms uncovered for about 20 minutes, until they are no longer giving off much steam. They do not need to become completely cold before refrigeration. If still warm at this point, keep them in a shallow layer and refrigerate rather than leaving them on the worktop for longer.
20:00Cool briefly Marinate overnight
Cover the container and refrigerate. Marinate overnight, allowing about 12 hours from refrigeration. Before serving, the mushrooms should be cold throughout, with surfaces visibly darkened by the balsamic vinegar. If they are not yet cold in the centre, leave them in the fridge until fully chilled.
Marinate overnight Arrange on a platter
Arrange the chilled skulls on a shallow platter with their faces upwards. Spoon over a little marinade from the container so they look glossy while the eye sockets and teeth remain visible. Serve without reheating, with cocktail sticks alongside.
My note for next time
Saved automatically in this browser. This note is not sent to the editors. 0/2000
Tips
- Twist the straw as you cut the eye sockets and clear mushroom pieces from it regularly. Leave space between the holes so the cap does not split.
- Keep the tooth cuts shallow: they should form grooves rather than split the stem into separate strips.
- Do not toss the roasted mushrooms vigorously. Lift them with a broad spoon and spoon over the marinade to preserve the faces.
- For a less chilled serving, take the portion out of the fridge about 20 minutes before eating. This is additional time beyond the main method; do not reheat.
Storage
Keep in the marinade in a sealed container in the fridge at 4°C or below for up to 3 days after roasting. Refrigerate after briefly cooling, within 2 hours of roasting. Take out only the portion you intend to serve. These are not preserves suitable for storage at room temperature. Freezing is not recommended, as the skulls may lose their shape and firm texture when thawed.
Timing
Hands-on: 57 min · Cooking: 20 min · Resting: 12 hr 20 min
The total allows for tasks done in parallel. The individual times can overlap.
