Ingredients

• 300ml/½ pint vegetable oil
• for deep frying
• 40 mushrooms (approx 4-5 per person)
• 200g/7oz Stilton
• crumbled
• 100g/3½oz plain flour
• 3 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 100g/3½oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 80g/3½oz fresh basil
• 50g/2oz chopped fresh chives
• 80g/3½oz fresh parsley
• 200g/7oz spinach
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• chopped
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 100g/3½oz cranberries

Directions

• For the mushrooms
• place the vegetable oil into a deep
• heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat until a small cube of bread sizzles and turns golden when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and discard. Place a spoonful of crumbled Stilton onto each mushroom on the stalk side.
• Place the flour
• beaten egg and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls and dip each mushroom into each bowl in turn
• shaking off any excess.
• Carefully place the mushrooms into the hot oil and deep fry for 3-4 minutes
• or until golden-brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• For the salad
• place the basil
• chives
• parsley and spinach into a large bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and oil
• season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well to coat the leaves.
• For the cranberry relish
• heat the oil in a saucepan
• place the onion
• vinegar
• sugar and cranberries into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes.
• To serve
• place the salad onto a plate with the mushrooms on top and the relish spooned over.