CHOP, COOK, EAT Delicious dishes made with mighty mushrooms
It’s a culinary match made in heaven. As the king of umami, the savoury fifth taste, mushrooms work well with anything from chardonnay to pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon
BEEF BURGERS WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHIPOTLE MAYO
SERVES 6 EASY 50 MINS
250g portabellini mushrooms, very finely diced Olive oil, for frying 2.5ml (½ tsp) salt and freshly ground black pepper Zest of half a lemon 250g lean beef mince 2.5ml (½ tsp) dried oregano 2.5ml (½ tsp) ground coriander 5ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard 2 spring onions, finely diced 125ml (½ cup) cooked quinoa 1 egg 125ml (½ cup) fresh breadcrumbs 30ml (2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar Hamburger buns Tomatoes, sliced Red onion rings Crisp lettuce 45ml (3 tbsp) thick mayonnaise mixed with 2.5ml (½ tsp) chipotle paste
Cook the mushrooms on a high heat in 15ml (1 tsp) olive oil until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest and mix through. Place the mushrooms in a mixing bowl and set aside to cool. Add the mince, herbs, spices, seasoning, Dijon mustard, spring onions, quinoa, egg and breadcrumbs to the mushrooms. Mix by hand to ensure all the ingredients are well combined. Divide into 6 patties. Cover and chill until firm. Heat 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry the patties until a golden crust forms on one side. Carefully turn over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until the meat is done to your liking. Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar. Add a splash of water and turn the patties over to cover both sides in the sticky pan juices. Toast the buttered buns and stack your burger starting with lettuce, then tomato, beef patty, onion and a generous dollop of chipotle mayo.
CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM POT PIE
SERVES 4 EASY 60 MINS
15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil 15ml (1 tbsp) butter 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 leeks, sliced into rounds salt and freshly ground black pepper 250g button mushrooms, quartered 50ml white wine 500g cooked chicken, cut into bitesized pieces 100g frozen peas 1 pack ready-rolled puff pastry, defrosted 1 egg, beaten
Sauce:
50ml (3½ tbsp) butter 40ml (2½ tbsp) flour 500ml (2 cups) hot chicken stock 100ml cream few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped (or whichever woody herb you prefer) small bunch of chives, snipped handful of parsley, chopped Preheat the oven to 190°C. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Cook the onion, carrots and leeks until soft, stirring occasionally. Season, add the mushrooms and wine; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken and peas and set aside. For the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-based pan over a low heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Slowly pour in the hot stock and cream, whisking continuously, and simmer until the mixture thickens. Season to taste. Add the herbs. Combine the chicken mixture and sauce and place into a 30x20cm oven-proof dish. Lay the pastry on top of the filling, crimping the edges and trimming off any excess. Pierce the pastry to allow steam to escape and brush with beaten egg. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.