- Po nelsońsku – in Lord Nelson’s style – is when mushrooms and soured cream are added to the sauce. (I have not been able to discover why this name is used.)
- In the traditional version of this dish, dried mushrooms are used and are soaked overnight.
- I have also made a version with dried and fresh mushrooms.
- Floury potatoes such as King Edward or Maris Piper are the best for this dish.
- Packets of dried mushroom in England tend to be 25g or 30g and I have used a full packet for the recipe (you can use more).
- The best dried mushrooms are Boletus edulis, in Poland they are called borowik or prawdzik, in Italy porcini.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of floury potatoes
- 10 -15g of dried mushrooms
- 2 onions
- 60ml of soured cream
- 250 ml of milk for soaking the mushrooms & 125ml (or more) for the sauce
- 100g of butter for frying the onions & the sauce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of plain flour
- Salt & pepper
Method
- Start the night before by preparing the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in a jug or bowl and add around 250ml of boiling water. When this has cooled add around 250ml of milk.
- Leave the mushrooms overnight.
- Alternately you could start this very early in the morning and make the dish in the evening.
- Boil the potatoes till nearly cooked and leave them to cool.
- Slice the potatoes into around 2cm thick slices.
- Strain the mushrooms from most of the liquor – saving this for the sauce.
- You can chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces if you want.
- Gently simmer the mushrooms in a little of the liquor for about 5 minutes.
- Make a sauce by first melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, add the flour, stir together with a wooden spoon and gently cook until you have a thick roux.
- Slowly add the liquor from the soaked mushrooms and mix and heat till you have a thick sauce.
- Add more milk if needed – you want a very thin pouring sauce.
- Then add the soured cream and mix together.
- Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 – 180°C
- Halve the onions and thinly slice and then fry them till golden in some butter.
- Butter a deepish ovenproof glass or ceramic dish.
- Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom followed by the onions, then the mushrooms, some of the sauce and finish with a top layer of potatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper as you go along.
- Pour the rest of the sauce over the top.
- Depending on the size and depth of the dish you could have more layers but always start and finsh with potatoes.
- Bake in the oven for at least an hour (You can lower the temperature and leave to cook for much longer).
- This goes well served with roast chicken or pork.
Served on Royal Doulton – Tapestry 1966 – 1988
Ingredients – Version 2
This has fewer dried mushrooms & fresh mushrooms are added.
- 1 kg of floury potatoes
- 10g of dried mushrooms
- 100 – 150g of fresh mushrooms (chestnut type are good)
- 250 ml of milk for soaking the mushrooms & 125ml (or more) for the sauce
- 100g of butter for frying the onions, mushrooms & the sauce
- 2 onions
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of plain flour
- 60ml of soured cream
- Salt & pepper
Method – Version 2
- Start the night before by preparing the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in a jug or bowl and add around 250ml of boiling water. When this has cooled add around 250ml of milk.
- Leave the mushrooms overnight.
- Alternately you could start this very early in the morning and make the dish in the evening.
- Boil the potatoes till nearly cooked and leave them to cool.
- Slice the potatoes into around 2cm thick slices.
- Strain the mushrooms from most of the liquor – saving this for the sauce.
- You can chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces if you want.
- Gently simmer the re-constituted mushrooms in a little of the liquor for about 5 minutes.
- Thinly slice the fresh mushroom caps and fry them gently in butter.
- Mix the two types of mushrooms together.
- Make a sauce by first melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, add the flour, stir together with a wooden spoon and gently cook until you have a thick roux.
- Slowly add the liquor from the soaked mushrooms and mix and heat till you have a thick sauce.
- Add more milk if needed – you want a very thin pouring sauce.
- Then add the soured cream and mix together.
- Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 – 180°C
- Halve the onions and thinly slice and then fry them till golden in some butter.
- Butter a deepish ovenproof glass or ceramic dish.
- Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom followed by the onions, then the mushrooms, some of the sauce and finish with a top layer of potatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper as you go along.
- Pour the rest of the sauce over the top.
- Depending on the size and depth of the dish you could have more layers but always start and finsh with potatoes.
- Bake in the oven for at least an hour (You can lower the temperature and leave to cook for much longer).
- This goes well served with roast chicken or pork.
Version 3 – Less Expensive & Quicker
- In Poland there are mushroom stock cubes which are very useful especially for making sauces.
- Years ago I brought loads back to England, now you can find these in the many Polish food shops.
- The ones I use are made by Knorr. These stock cubes contain a small amount of dried mushroom extract.
- Dissolve the stock cube im 250ml of hot water, when this has cooled add around 250ml of milk.
- Increase the amount of fresh mushrooms to 150 – 200g.
- Follow the instructions as for Version 2.
Looks really good. Wonder where the name comes from?
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If anyone knows the reason please let me know.
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I like the combination of flavors. Potatoes are best with mushrooms. This must taste delicious.
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