Wild Mushrooms - can I substitute dried?

[UnrequitedSkink]

Hi, I seem to be having crisis after crisis with a dinner party I'm planning for tomorrow. I'm cooking Fillet of beef with a wild mushroom gratin - went to Waitrose tonight - no bloody wild mushrooms! I've got some dried wild mushrooms, can I reconstitute these and mix with chestnut mushrooms? Will this work? Please somebody say yes, as I can't change my menu again.. I think I might cry... summer cooking is SO much easier I've decided.

Thanks

LOL have you taken on too much? Dinner parties are supposed to be fun!

Now, I don't get "wild mushrooms". Do they say what sort? Cos if you reconstitute dried porcini mushrooms, they're really quite strong, so you might want to do a smaller amlount with the chestnut shrooms. What does the recipe say?

Yes you can. Add them to a small amount of boiling water and leave to soak for as long as you can. Keep the liquid - it is really flavoursome so depending on what you are cooing could go in as 'stock' to make the flavour even more intense. In a lot of cases dried mushrooms are better as the flavour is more intense. You could also add 'ordinary' mushrooms to bulk it outa bit as the wild dried will not re plump to full size iyswim

Good luck

sounds yum also your suggestion of dried good remember flavour intense so not too much and as u say bulk it out. most importantly have at least a large glass of wine under your belt before you start cooking to relax you.

NonVinaigretteRien - FUN?! Since when? I am tearing my hair out, I love cooking but doing it for other people (esp the foodies that are coming over) is terrifying!

Thanks for the advice, I'll do as suggested and use a small proportion of the wild musrooms and bulk with chestnut or button.

It doesn't say what kind of wild, just...wild. If they trash my house, smoke drugs and throw parties does that count?

Phew. Relieved. Thank you!

if foodies u must get them pissed

Good luck.

How's it looking?

I'm a bit of a foodie, but really, someone could serve beans on toast if they're good company.