CARAMELISED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS WITH NOODLES IN GINGERY BROTH

And the mushroom obsession continues!

This Japanese inspired dish is equal parts healthy and wholesome as it is comforting and filling, making it the perfect supper for when you are feeling a little run down!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoon grated ginger
• 350g egg noodles
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped 
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced 
• 2 shallots, chopped
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 salad onions chopped, for serving

METHOD

• Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, tahini, molasses, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 clove garlic, and 1/3 cup water in a bowl. 
• Cook the noodles according to package directions. 
• Drain. 
• To the pot used to cook the noodles, add the broth and 1/2 of the soy sauce mixture. 
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stir in the spinach. 
• Keep warm.
• Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. 
• When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms. 
• Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes or until golden. 
• Add the shallots, 1 tablespoon ginger, and 2 cloves garlic. 
• Cook 4-5 minutes, until fragrant. 
• Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and a large pinch of pepper. 
• Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms are caramelised. 
• Add the sesame seeds, cook 2 minutes. 
• Spoon the mushrooms out of the skillet and onto a plate. 
• To the frying pan add the remaining soy sauce mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 
• Add the noodles, toss to combine, and cook until the sauce just coats the noodles, 2-3 minutes. 
• Remove from the heat. 
• Ladle the broth into bowls.Add the noodles and toss combine. 
• Spoon the mushrooms over the noodles. 
• Top with salad onions. 
• Enjoy!

HEARTY MUSHROOM BOURGUIGNON

WOW, OH WOW. This veggie twist on the French bistro classic that is a beef bourguignon is the ultimate hearty comfort and a mushroom lover's dream! 

Make sure you allow for a few hours for this heavenly stew of mushrooms (go wild on the varieties), red wine, herbs, carrots and mushroom stock to cook away and develop ALLL the fantastic flavours, the depth you end up with is quite extraordinary and would, I think, even win over the most committed carnivore.

Best served with homemade mash, or if you are all cooked out after prepping the bourguinon a supermarket version will also more than do the trick - I went for a truffle mash from Waitrose and boy did it make the final dish even more outstanding.

A little time consuming to make but worth every second and sure to be added to my recipe rotation for the winter months.

SERVES 3-4

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 
• 800g mixed mushrooms, such as portobello, cremini, white button, shiitake or oyster, cut into 1-inch chunks 
• 220g peeled pearl onions (2 cups), larger ones cut in half 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 large leek or 2 small leeks, white and light green parts, diced 
• 200g baby carrots
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1 ½ cups dry red wine 
• 1 ½ cups mushroom broth
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce, plus more to taste 
• 3 large fresh thyme branches or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1 bay leaf 
• Mashed potatoes, to serve

METHOD

• Add 2 tablespoons butter or oil to a large saucepan and set it over medium heat. 
• When the fat is hot, stir in half the mushrooms and half the pearl onions. (If it doesn’t all fit in the pot in one layer, you might have to do this in three batches, rather than two.) 
• Without moving them around too much, cook the mushrooms until they are brown on one side, about 3 minutes. 
• Stir and let them brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. 
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer mushrooms and onions to a large bowl or plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
• Repeat with another 2 tablespoons butter and the remaining mushrooms and pearl onions, seasoning them as you go.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. 
• Add another 1 tablespoon butter or oil to the pan. 
• Add leeks and sauté until the leeks turn lightly golden and start to soften 5 minutes. 
• Add the 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute longer. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. 
• Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add wine, broth, 1 tablespoon tamari, thyme, and bay leaf, scraping up the brown bits at bottom of the pot.
• Add reserved cooked mushrooms and pearl onions as well as the baby carrots back to the pot and bring to a simmer. 
• Partly cover the pot and simmer on low heat until carrots and onions are tender and sauce is thick, 50 – 60 minutes. 
• Taste and add more salt and tamari if needed.
• Serve mushroom Bourguignon over mashed potatoes and ENJOY!

PACCHERI WITH AUBERGINE CREAM, SLOW ROAST TOMATOES, TORN BURRATA & BASIL

The slow roast, mashed Aubergine that seemingly melts into a tomatoey sauce adds a wonderful depth in flavour to this vibrant pasta dish. 

Top it all with super fragrant roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and torn burrata and you get yourself a gorgeous, veg packed dinner that will brighten up even the most gloomy of autumn days.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large aubergines
• 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt
• Dried oregano
• Icing sugar
• Olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 300g peeled plum tomatoes, fresh or tinne
• Ripped fresh basil
• 400g paccheri,
• Ball of burrata

METHOD

• Roast the aubergines whole until they collapse, at 190°C for about 40 minutes, then remove from the oven. 
• Turn the oven down to 130°C.
• Put the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt, dried oregano, icing sugar and olive oil, and put them into the oven for 45 minutes or until they wrinkle. 
• Put on one side.
• Scoop the flesh from the aubergine.
• In a large frying pan, warm some olive oil and the garlic, then add the peeled plum tomatoes, basil and a pinch of salt and allow to bubble for 15 minutes, or until they look saucey. 
• Add the aubergine and stir. 
• The aim is a sauce to coat the pasta, so you can pass it through a food mill (remove the garlic) or simply mash with a potato masher. 
• Pull from the heat.
• Cook the pasta until a minute off al dente, turn up the heat on the sauce, and drain or lift the pasta directly into the sauce pan and then swish gently to blend with the sauce and finish the last minute of cooking. 
• Add a bit more water if it looks dry – the consistency should be swishy.
• Tip the paccheri on to a large serving dish, and top with the cherry tomatoes, the torn burrata and more ripped basil.

TUNA BURGERS WITH SPICY SLAW & WASABI GINGER MAYO

 

The ingredient list for this outstanding tuna burger may look a little long but trust me on this one, the effort that goes into making this dish really, really pays off! I'd go as far as to say it was the best burger I have ever had in my non meat eating life! Plus you can prep the slaw dressing and mayo in advance so that the actual burger assembling won't actually take to long!!

Serve with fries of your choice and impress your friends, family and loved ones with! A new favourite in my repertoire for sure!

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

GINGER WASABI MAYO

• 4 tsp Wasabi
• 1¼ cups mayonnaise
• ½ cup pickled ginger, rinsed and strained
• 1½ tsp sesame oil
• 1½ tsp lime juice
• 1½ tsp soy sauce

SLAW BASE

• 300g white cabbage
• 300g red cabbage, shredded
• 2 large carrots, grated

SLAW DRESSING

• ½ cup peeled and chopped ginger
• ½ cup pickled ginger, rinsed and strained
• 6 tbsp chopped spring onion
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• ¼ cup chopped coriander
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 4½ tsp honey
• 4 tsp hoisin sauce
• 4 tsp chili paste
• 2½ tsp red wine vinegar
• 1½ tsp lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, chopped

BURGER

• 4 fresh tuna steaks
• 4 brioche buns
• Ginger-Wasabi Mayo (see above)
• Slaw Dressing (see above)

METHOD

• Add all Ginger-Wasabi Mayo ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. 
• For the Slaw Base, add all ingredients to a bowl and mix to evenly distribute. 
• To make the Slaw Dressing, add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. 
• The wasabi paste, slaw base, and slaw dressing can all be made one day ahead. 
• Store covered in the refrigerator until needed.
• Preheat your frying pan.
• Put the slaw base in a separate bowl with the dressing and toss to fully coat.
• Add tuna to pan and grill to sear. 
• After 30-60 seconds flip the tuna.
• Sear to your liking, I like my tuna still raw in the middle
• While the tuna filets are cooking, lightly toast your brioche bun in the oven or on a griddle pan. 
• Spread ginger-wasabi mayo generously onto the cut sides of all buns and then place slaw evenly on top of mayo. 
• To build each burger, set the seared tuna on top of the slaw on the bottom bun and carefully place the top bun onto the sandwich.
• Enjoy with your fav kind of fries or chips!