BRAISED SHIITAKE SALAD

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES (+ COOLING) SERVES 4

500g fresh shiitake mushrooms

2 x 225g cans bamboo shoot slices,

drained, rinsed

½ cup (125ml) tamari

1 cup (250ml) cooking sake

1 cup (250ml) mirin

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 baby cos lettuces, leaves separated ½ cup (40g) bean sprouts

1 cup loosely packed fresh

coriander leaves

1 cup loosely packed fresh

vietnamese mint leaves

CHILLI PEANUT SAUCE 1 long fresh red chilli,

chopped coarsely ½ cup (70g) dry roasted

salted peanuts

10g piece fresh ginger,

chopped coarsely 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan. 2 Using scissors, trim and discard mushroom stalks. Place mushrooms and bamboo shoots in a baking dish; pour over tamari, sake and mirin.

Stir in garlic. Cover with baking paper, then foil. Bake for 1 hour or until mushrooms are tender. Cool. Reserve braising liquid.

3 Make chilli peanut sauce.

4 Arrange lettuce, mushroom mixture, sprouts and herbs on a large serving platter. Drizzle with some of the remaining mushroom braising liquid; top with chilli peanut sauce.

CHILLI PEANUT SAUCE

Place ingredients in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved braising liquid; pulse to combine. Season to taste.