MUSHROOMS

 

Here are a few recipes of dishes cooked with mushrooms:

 

                                                     MUSHROOM SOUP

A delicious creamy soup.

62.5 ml (¼ cup) olive oil

340 g  (12 oz) mushrooms, trimmed

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

Salt to taste

2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine

¼ cup cashew nuts

Pepper to taste

 

3 tbs olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbsp thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Sauté mushrooms in olive oil, stirring for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown.  With a slotted spoon transfer the mushroom to a plate, leaving the oil behind.

 

Add onion and spring onions, season with salt and simmer, stirring often until very soft, 8-10 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to cook until softened and fragrant, 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until evaporated.

 

Add 5 cups of water and bring to the boil.  Transfer 2 cups of soup and mushrooms to a blender and pulse until smooth.  Pour back into the soup.  Stir in the remaining mushrooms and simmer for a few minutes until the soup is piping hot and add the cashews. With a hand blender puree until the soup is very smooth.  Simmer, stirring occasionally until flavours have melded, 10-15 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

 

Garlic oil:

Bring oil, garlic, thyme and pepper to a simmer in a small saucepan.  Cook until the garlic is tender and slightly brown around the edges.  Season with salt.

 

Serve the soup in bowls drizzled with garlic oil.

 

 

                  SWEET POTATO MINCED MEAT AND FENNEL BULB STEW          

A delectable stew.

1 tsp of salt or more, divided

1 large sweet potato, halved lengthwise

½ a fennel bulb, trimmed and finely sliced, some fennel weeds reserved for garnish

½ small onion, peeled and finely sliced

62.5 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

250 g ( ½ lb) minced lamb

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

250 g (½ lb) wild mushrooms

125 ml (½ cup) Greek yoghurt

2 tbsp lemon juice

¼ cup mint leaves

 

Boil sweet potato in salted water for 20-25 minutes, until tender.

 

Meanwhile, toss sliced fennel bulb, onion, vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Reserve, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

 

Sauté the minced lamb in olive oil until crumbly and well browned. Stir in the spices and salt to taste.  Push the mixture on one side and add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and stir the two mixtures well together until completely combined. 

 

Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, and the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small bowl.  Mash the sweet potato add the mushroom mixture and top with the yoghurt.  Serve sprinkled with mint leaves.      

 

 

                                                 MUSHROOM RISOTTO

2100 ml (6 cups) chicken stock, divided

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

500 g (1 lb) portobello mushrooms, trimmed and finely sliced

500 g (1 lb) white mushrooms, trimmed and finely sliced

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

125 ml ( ½ cup) dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tbsp chives, finely chopped

4 tbsp butter

½ cup grated Parmesan

 

Warm the broth over low heat and sauté the mushrooms in 2 tbsp olive oil until soft.  Remove mushrooms and their liquid.

 

Sauté the spring onions in 1 tbsp olive oil and cook for 1 minute add the rice, stirring to coat with oil.  When the rice becomes golden pour in the wine stirring until completely absorbed. Add ½ cup of broth to the rice and stir until it is completely absorbed.  Continue adding broth, ½ cup at a time stirring continuously until the liquid is absorbed and the rice al dente.

 

Remove from the heat, stir in the mushrooms and their liquid, butter, chives, grated Parmesan and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

 

 

                             ROAST MUSHROOMS AND OTHER VEGETABLES

A lovely roast vegetable salad.

1 kg (2 lb) portobello mushrooms, trimmed

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks.

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 carrots, scraped and thickly sliced

2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges

2 leeks, trimmed and thickly sliced

½ broccoli, separated into florets

 

Dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 heaped tbsp mustard with honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

(Whip together until thick)

 

Chopped parsley for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Mix all the vegetables well together in a large baking tin, drizzle with dressing, cover with baking parchment and foil and roast for 45 minutes.  Remove the parchment and foil and bake for 20 minutes more until the vegetables are caramelised and crunchy.  

 

Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.