Hen Of The Woods Mushroom Parfait Recipe

Prepare and cook mushrooms

Clean hen of the woods mushrooms by gently brushing or wiping; trim tough stems and tear into bite-size pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When shimmering, add mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and let brown undisturbed 3–4 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until deeply golden and any liquid has evaporated, 4–6 more minutes.

Push mushrooms to one side of the pan, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the chopped shallot. Sauté 1–2 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze with white wine or vegetable stock, scraping up fond; cook 1 minute to reduce.

Transfer about 2/3 of the cooked mushrooms to a food processor (reserve the rest for texture and garnish). Add cream cheese, heavy cream, soy sauce, thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse until mostly smooth but still slightly textured — you want a silky parfait with some mushroom bits. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Chill the parfait briefly (15–20 minutes) to firm slightly before assembling, or keep warm depending on service preference. If chilled, bring to cool room temperature before serving.

While mushrooms cook, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) if you prefer a toasted topping, or use a skillet for stovetop toasting. In a bowl combine chopped dried apricots, oats, flour, brown sugar, chopped almonds, orange zest and salt. Stir to combine.

Add melted butter and mix until mixture clumps slightly. Spread on a small baking sheet and toast in oven 8–10 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring once halfway. Alternatively, toast in a dry skillet over medium heat 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Cool completely — topping will crisp as it cools.

Crumble the cooled mixture to create a coarse crisp for textural contrast. Reserve about 2 tablespoons per serving for garnish and keep remaining in an airtight container.

In a small saucepan combine mirin, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sugar (or honey). Bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth and whisk into the simmering liquid. Cook 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and let cool slightly — glaze will thicken further as it cools.

To assemble: spoon 3–4 tablespoons of mushroom parfait into small serving glasses or on a shallow spoon. Top with a sprinkle of reserved whole mushroom pieces for texture. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of mirin glaze over each parfait, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons apricot crisp per serving. Finish with microgreens or sliced chives and a few flakes of sea salt.

Serve immediately if you want the crisp warm and the glaze slightly fluid, or chill for 10–15 minutes for a firmer parfait and more set glaze. Leftover parfait will keep in refrigerator 2–3 days; store crisps separately to maintain crunch.