Tag: mushrooms

Mushrooms and bere berries

Last year Malcolm and I went to Orkney on a jaunt (or was it the year before). We visited the splendid Barony Mill, a traditional set up. We bought a range of flours, and we also bought some bere berries. I used these to make a traditional spanish dish with mushrooms, totally wonderful. 

Bere is a grain similar to wheat, and can be used in the same way as barley in orzotto, soups and similar dishes. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 50g bere berries
  • 1/2 onion
  • 400g mushrooms (could be a mixture of wild and cultivated, try adding porcini)
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 small lemon
  • salt and pepper

METHOD:

  • Simmer the bere berries with the half onion in a litre of water for around 1 hour. Once the bere berries are tender, drain the mixture.
  • Pick over the mushrooms and chop  them roughly. 
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, and add the garlic. 
  • As soon as the garlic starts to brown, add the cumin and the mushrooms, lower the heat and cook for around five minutes
  • Add the bere berries, coriander leaf, leom juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

This is delicious as a snack or side dish. Serve with salad, warm flat bread, a green salad, wine. 

 

 

Pasta, peas, tarragon, mushrooms

I sometimes buy very freshly picked vegetables from the Tagsa Horticulture Project, a local charity working to improve our food security. It includes community gardens, polytunnels, and it is inclusive, working with groups and volunteers of all ages. 

Anyay, I digress. I got some mange tout peas, and I made this pasta dish. 

INGREDIENTS PER PERSON:

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 75 to 100g mange tout, chopped into large pieces
  • 75 to 100g mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 100g pancetta or bacon, in small cubes
  • 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
  • 1 tsp thick cream
  • salt and pepper
  • A grating of nutmeg
  • 75g pasta such as spaghetti or linguini
  • 25g grated parmesan

METHOD:

  • Boil a pan of salted water, and cook the pasta for around 8 to 9 minutes, according to the instructions on the packet. 
  • While the pasta is boiling, start cooking the rest of the dish. Over a medium heat, fry the garlic in the oil, then as it starts to colour a little, add the bacon. When the bacon fat begins to run, add the mushrooms. When the mushrooms begin to brown, add the peas.
  • Add the cream to the vegetables, along with salt, black pepper and a grating of nutmeg and the tarragon. Keep warm while the pasta finishes cooking.  
  • When the pasta is done, drain it and add it back to the pan with a spoonful of pasta water. 
  • Stir the vegetables through the pasta, then stir the cheese in. Really delicious. 

 

Potato and mushroom soup

I am still focusing on recipes with potato in them. This is a very simple soup, quite rich and buttery with a great flavour. There are a lot of versions online, with differing herbs and proportions. This worked for me. You could substitute thyme for dill, or add cheese if you wished. 

I made this at the new house on the induction hob, and discovered my soup pan was not compatible. I ended up simmering the soup over the solid fuel stove, which worked perfectly. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 x 50g butter
  • 2 large leeks, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1.5 litres chicken stock
  • 3 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 2 bayleaves
  • 1kg potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 500g mushrooms, sliced
  • 300ml sour cream (or double cream)
  • 2 tbsp plan flour

METHOD:

  • In a large saucepan, melt 50g butter, and when it is foaming, add the carrots and the leeks, and fry over a medium heat for around 5 minutes, until the leeks start to colour brown a little at the edges. 
  • Add the stock, then the dill, salt, pepper and bayleaves. Finally, add the diced potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook for another 20 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if required. 
  • In a frying pan, melt another 50g butter until it is foaming, and fry the mushrooms. Stir these into the soup. 
  • Take some of the liquor from the soup, and mix with the flour, to form a smooth soft paste. Add the flour mixture and the cream into the soup, and simmer without boiling, so that the soup thickens. 
  • Serve with toasted brown bread. 

I don’t know that the flour is essential, but the soup was really good, and I haven’t tried many variations. If you use a vegetable stock, you have a vegetarian option. One online version also added soup pasta, another used onion and garlic. I prefer leeks with mushrooms, though. 

Mushroom and leek risotto

I had guests and a lot of leeks, so we made this as a quick after-work dish. It was delicious. The leeks were the end of season weeny ones left in the ground, we’d enough to make a substantial dish.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 litre marigold stock
  • 2 x 25g butter
  • 200g mushrooms (one punnet)
  • salt and pepper
  • Chopped fresh sage, thyme and parsley
  • 200g leeks, cleaned and chopped
  • 200g arborio rice
  • 100ml dry white wine 
  • 50g grated parmesan cheese
  • Another 25g butter

METHOD:

  • Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat, and add the first 25g butter. Hwn it melts , add the chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper, and fry for around 4 minutes, until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan, add another 25g butter, and add the leeks and herbs and saute for 2 minutes, until browning. 
  • Add the arborio rice and keep on cooking until the rice is glossy and coated in butter
  • Add the white wine and bring to a simmer, stirring until the liquid is absorbed
  • Add the hot stock a ladle-ful at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed, and then adding the next scoop. Kepp on with this with the mixture just about simmering. When the rice is tender and al dente, stop there, and add the cheese, 25g butter, mushrooms and stir. Check the seasoning and leave to rest for a couple of minutes 
  • Serve garrnished with herbs. 

Mushroom and leek orzotto

I have been in a fizz of pedantry. Why call a dish made with pearl barley a risotto. It isn’t a risotto, it is an orzotto, thanks to Wiki for sorting that one out. Risotto is made with rice. The italian for pearl barley is orzo (and hence why orzo pasta is so named as it has the same shape). And then – orzotto.

Now I have got over the nomenclature, I have made this delicious dish, using mushrooms from a mushroom kit and some leeks and thyme from the garden. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 60g butter (2x30g)
  • 1 leek, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 250g mushrooms. cut into large pieces.
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme (or use rosemary)
  • black pepper
  • salt
  • 300g pearl barley
  • 150ml white wine
  • 1000ml stock (low salt if possible)
  • 50g grated parmesan
  • 2 tbsp mascarpone – optional
  • squeeze of lemon juice – optional

METHOD:

  • Lightly toast the barley in a large pan, be very careful not to burn. This step is optional, but adds a lovely toasted flavour to the final dish. 
  • In a large saucepan, melt half the butter, and add the leeks and garlic, frying until soft.
  • Add the mushrooms and herbs, and season with pepper. Continue to fry for another five minutes. Keep stirring, so nothing sticks. Don’t add salt until the end, because the stock and the parmesan will alter the saltiness. 
  • Add the rest of the butter, and then the toasted barley. Cook for a minute and then pour in the glass of wine, and cook for another three minutes, so the barley absorbs the wine. 
  • Add a ladleful of stock. I used beef stock, other stocks also work. I also added a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, and cook and stir until the broth is almost absorbed, before adding the next ladleful. Continue in this way, stirring and simmering gently, and adding the stock a bit at a time. Keep going until all of the stock is added. The barley should be tender to the bite, and you may need to add another little bit of boiling water or stock until it is to your liking. 
  • When you are ready, add the grated parmesan, and taste to see if you need to add any salt. You can also add the optional mascarpone or a squeeze of lemon juice. Leave to stand for a few minutes before serving. 

Sausages with a mushroom and red wine gravy

Another recipe for sausages, this is very tasty and it can be augmented by adding other ingredients, such as lightly fried liver or kidneys. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 450g sausages
  • cooking fat or vegetable oil
  • 150g mushrooms
  • 1 scant tbsp flour
  • 300ml beef stock
  • 100ml red wine
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree

METHOD:

  • Fry the sausages in a little oil for up to 20 minutes until they are cooked, and then set aside.
  • Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms coarsely, and add them to the pan and fry gently for 3 minutes or so. 
  • Stir in the flour and cook for another minute or two
  • Add the stock, wine and tomato puree, bring to the boil and then simmer for around 5 minutes. Season to taste.
  • Pour the sauce into a warm serving dish, add the sausages, any other ingredients as required, and garnish with chopped parsley. 

This is good with mashed potatoes, or potato scones. 

Rabbit with white wine and mushrooms

This recipe is from Norman Tebbit’s book The Game Cook. He advises that cider can be used instead of wine, and suggests mashed potato as a good accompaniment. We had rice which was also good, but not very local.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Organic plain flour
  • 1 rabbit, skinned andjointed
  • 1 tbsp organic olive oil
  • 50g butter
  • 8oz diced salt bacon or streaky bacon or pancetta
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 450g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 large glass dry white wine
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • bouquet garni
  • 300ml ‘marigold’ stock
  • salt, pepper and parsley to garnish

METHOD:

  • Preheat the oven to 170C gas 3
  • Season the flour with salt and pepper, and coat the rabbit joints in the flour
  • Heat the oil and butter in the bottom of a large stainless steel saucepan. Fry off the onion until soft.
  • Add the bacon then the rabbit, and continue frying until the rabbit is brown on all sides and the onions are golden
  • Next, add the herbs, wine, garlic and mushrooms, along with the stock. Bring to the boil and stir it well.
  • If the pan is suitable, cover and put into the oven. Otherwise, transfer to a casserole dish. Either way, make sore the rabbit is covered
  • Let the casserole simmer in the oven for 2 or more hours. When you are ready, drain off the gravy and reduce by boiling. Alternatively, add a little beurre manie (butter and flour mixture) and simmer untuil thickened.
  • Serve the rabbit with the sauce poured over the top, and with vegetables and potatoes.

Rabbit cacciatore

I reserve the right to edit this recipe from time to time. I have been testing out a few variations on this theme, and this one is the best so far. It has taken a bit of experimentation and quite a few rabbits. Thanks to those of you who have been supplying me and to those who have butchered them for me. I’ll need to learn how myself one day. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 rabbit, jointed
  • 15g plain flour
  • salt and pepper
  • mustard/rape-seed oil
  • 100g smoked pancetta
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 sticks of celery, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 red chilli, chopped
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
  • 200g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 75ml red wine
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 500ml stock
  • 20 black olives, stoned
  • chopped parsley

METHOD:

  • Preheat the oven to 180C
  • Season the rabbit meat and flour with salt and pepper. Dust the rabbit with the flour.
  • In a large oven-proof pan, heat the oil and fry the rabbit in stages, browning on all sides, and setting this aside when done.
  • In the same pan, add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, peppers and pancetta and cook slowly until soft. 
  • Add the rosemary, wine and mushrooms and cook for a further five minutes, evaporating off any surplus moisture
  • Mix the stock and tomato paste. 
  • Add the olives and rabbit to the pan, and pour over the stock. Put a lid on the pan and put it in the oven to cook for around an hour. 

Best with mashed or baked potatoes. 

Mushroom and potato soup

The idea from this recipe is Italian, but there is the small issue about local ingredients. We haven’t got porcini, or even woodlands that they could grow in. I have got a lot of potatoes though, so I substituted quite a bit. The soup is delicious. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 small sweet red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 to 3 sticks of celery, finely chopped
  • 125g butter
  • 2 medium potatoes, a variety good for mashing (I used Arran Victory)
  • 1.5 litres of boiling water or light stock
  • 1 punnet of chestnut mushrooms, 200g to 300g, sliced
  • 1 40g jar of dried porcini mushrooms
  • salt and pepper
  • 250ml single cream
  • a large bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped.

METHOD:

  • Pour boiling water onto the porcini mushrooms in a small jug, and let this sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and gently fry the onion and celery together until they are soft, around ten minutes
  • Peel and grate the potatoes and add to the pan, stir to mix in the butter, and then add the stock or water, and bring to a simmer, and cook for ten minutes
  • Add the finely sliced mushrooms. Strain the porcini mushrooms and add the liquor to the pot. Chop the soaked mushrooms, and add them to the pot as well. Bring to a simmer and cook for twenty minutes.
  • Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste, then blend with a soup blender. Add the cream and bring it all back to a gentle simmer. 
  • Chop the parsley very finely and stir it through the soup. 

We had this with home-made crusty bread. The soup is deliciously buttery and smooth. 

Mushroom and pea curry

The pea season is coming. The mange tout are already ready, and some of the peas are podding up nicely. I did a massive pick-through of the peas at Tagsa Horticulture, and made this curry based on one in ‘Curry Easy’ by Madhur Jaffrey. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped finely
  • half a can of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 punnets of chestnut mushrooms, around 400 to 500g, chopped into chunks.
  • 300g peas, could be frozen, or mange tout, freshly picked and halved

METHOD:

  • Combine the dry spices in a bowl and add around 1 1/2 tbsp water to make a paste
  • Pour the oil into a medium pan, and heat to medium hot. Add the onion and start to stir and fry, until the onion is becoming a little browned at the edges. 
  • Add the spice paste, cook for a minute and then add the tomato, mixing and stirring. 
  • After about five minutes, when the tomato is hot and beginning to cook down, add 450ml boiling water and the salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes
  • Add the chunks of mushroom, bring back to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. 
  • Add the peas, bring back to a simmer and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

This was best served warm, rather than hot, with a flat bread such as a nan.