Chapter XVII – handy snacks and lunches - for those who love mushrooms

Messing about in the kitchen I came up with this recipe for a quick lunch, admittedly you have to love mushrooms – it's not rocket science but useful and above all tasty!

I give you :

M's Moreish Mushrooms

serves 4

300g Chestnut mushrooms, chopped finely

1 banana shallot (10cms approx), chopped finely

30g unsalted butter

glug of dry sherry or red wine

1 Knorr mushroom stock pot

celery salt

300ml double cream

to serve

50g Panko breadcrumbs, roasted

Yorkshire Puddings – 4 (7cms x 4cms approx)

Using a medium saucepan, sauté the shallot gently in the butter until opaque (5-8 mins approx). Add the mushrooms and a glug of dry sherry and cook gently until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the stock pot and celery salt and heat gently until the stock pot has melted. Add the double cream and heat gently for 15 minutes.

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6) . Line a medium baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle over the Panko breadcrumbs. The Yorkshire Puddings will take 5 minutes from frozen - synchronise the timings to serve – so 10 minutes in to heating the mushroom mixture pop both the Panko crumbs and the Yorkshire Puddings in the oven.

Spoon two generous tablespoons into each of the Yorkshire Puddings and top with the Panko crumb.

Hints and tips :

The mushroom mixture can be made ahead and frozen

A glug = 1-2 tablespoons

If you want a veggie or vegan version of the sauce then use a plant based spread instead of the butter. Use Elmlea Plant Double Vegan Alternative for the cream. The Knorr mushroom stock pot is vegan.

Serving suggestions :

as a side with a roast, as the veggie option

over pasta

as a sauce over Quorn fillets, chicken or pork

on toast with thick slices of soda bread

Then there's

Mushrooms in Balsamic

4 tbsp rapeseed oil or similar

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

pinch of salt

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

60g grated/shaved parmesan

Heat the oil, add the mushrooms and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook on high for 5 minutes until browned. Mix the vinegar with the sugar and pour over the mushrooms.

Stir until syrupy – 1-2 minutes, serve on toasted broad. Sprinkle with parmesan to serve.

It's delicious on thick, toasted soda bread or would serve 6 as a bruschetta/crostini topping

OR

You could quarter the mushrooms and serve as a topping on a risotto and add shavings of parmesan – I'd not recommend using grated parmesan.

Versatility is the key!