A popular Spanish tapas dish, champiñones al ajillo is mushrooms sautéed with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and typically seasoned with flat-leaf parsley, salt, freshly ground black pepper and chili. Enjoy this dish with a sherry or cold beer, and a little crusty bread to mop up the juices.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 large button mushrooms—peeled or wiped clean and quartered

2 cloves garlic—finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes (optional)

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

HEAT the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the mushrooms for two minutes, stirring regularly. ADD the garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper and chili flakes and cook for a further 4 minutes. REMOVE from the heat, stir through the parsley and serve on small plates.

Variation: For an Italian twist, toss these mushrooms through cooked pasta and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.

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