A Practical Guide to Edible Mushrooms in the Diet

With its intense mushroom flavour, butternut squash and plump arborio rice. This creamy, cheesy Italian rice dish always feels like an indulgent treat and is sure to leave you satisfied.

INGREDIENTS

• 15g dried mushrooms
• 300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• Good splash of olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 400g arborio rice
• 1 butternut squash, chopped into small cubes
• 1 small glass white wine
• Large bunch of watercress, roughly chopped
• 100g parmesan, finely grated
• 20g butter

METHOD

1. Firstly place the dried mushroom into a small bowl and pour over 150ml hot water and leave to cool. Strain the mushrooms and roughly chop, pour the soaking liquid into the stock.
2. Meanwhile place the stock into a saucepan, bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer.
3. In a large saucepan or frying pan cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil over a low heat until soft but not coloured. Add the rice and butternut squash, cook for 2 minutes making sure all the grains of rice are coated.
4. Pour in the wine and chopped dried mushrooms, simmer until all the wine has absorbed. Now start adding stock, a ladle at a time and cook until it has been absorbed. Making sure you stir every so often. Keep adding the stock a ladle at a time until the rice is cooked. This will take about 20 minutes.
5. In another frying pan, add the butter and cook the mushrooms until soft.
6. Just before your ready to serve, stir in the mushrooms, chopped watercress and parmesan cheese.

This stack of Portobello mushrooms full of earthy and juicy flavours, stacked with aubergines, red peppers and onions is a lightweight dish that is perfect for a small meal and great for vegetarians.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 portobello mushrooms, kept whole
• 1 aubergine
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 150g mature Cheddar cheese, sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan oven 170°C, Gas Mark 5.
2. Put the mushrooms, gills facing up, into a roasting tin.
3. Take 8 slices from the aubergine (crossways, not lengthways), then chop any remaining aubergine finely.
4. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan and briefly fry the aubergine slices for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan.
5. Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan and cook the onion, pepper and chopped aubergine for 5-6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree. Cook gently for another 1-2 minutes, then season with salt and pepper
6. Spoon half the tomato mixture into the mushrooms and top with a slice of aubergine. Spoon the rest of the tomato mixture on top, then sprinkle with the cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve 2 mushrooms per person.

Taking only 10 minutes to rustle up, this is a simple and flavourful summer salad loaded with nutrients and filled with chestnut mushrooms, eggs, bacon and lot and lots of salad leaves!

INGREDIENTS

For the salad

• 200g chestnut or closed cup mushrooms, sliced
• 4 eggs
• 8 rashers back bacon
• 1 bag rocket or mixed salad leaves
• 1 Romaine lettuce, shredded
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

For the dressing

• 2 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 4 tbsp croutons

METHOD

1. Hard-boil the eggs for 8-10 minutes, then plunge them into cold water to cool them.
2. While the eggs are cooling, grill the bacon rashers until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
3. Mix together the rocket or salad leaves and Romaine lettuce and arrange on 4 large serving plates with the mushrooms and tomatoes. Shell the eggs and quarter them, then share between the plates.
4. Make the dressing by mixing together the olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar and wholegrain mustard. Season.
5. Sprinkle the dressing over the salads, then snip the bacon rashers over the top. Add the croutons, then serve.

A classic Japanese dish, Miso Cod is a beautiful seafood dish you can pull off at home. Baked to perfection, this dish offers succulent flavours from the cod and a rich Miso tang, served with garlic mushrooms and sprouts.

INGREDIENTS

• 250g baby mushrooms (button or chestnut), roughly chopped
• 200g brussel sprouts
• 3 tbsp miso paste (ideally light)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 4 x 180g pieces of cod loin (equal sized, ideally fat)
• 2-4 pak choi, depending on size, cut into wedges length ways

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan..
2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the sprouts. Cook for 5 minutes until tender. Drain.
3. In a bowl mix the miso paste with the garlic and softened butter until combined. Take a tbsp of this mix and put it aside to top the fish with.
4. To the rest add the mushrooms and sprouts and coat thoroughly (it might be easier to use your hands). Transfer everything to a large baking paper lined tray and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
5. Add the pak choi to the tray and mix thoroughly to coat with the miso. Top the skin side of the cod fillets with the remaining miso paste and place on top of everything for a final 10-12 minutes, until the fish is cooked.

A cacophony of nutty flavours come together in this gorgeous stuffed mushroom dish. Overflowing in walnuts, basil and topped with a honey vinaigrette, this is a delicious meal that takes only 15 minutes to cook.

INGREDIENTS

For the stuffed mushrooms

• 8 large open cup white or chestnut mushrooms
• 50g walnuts
• A large bunch of basil, leaves only, chopped (keep a few leaves for garnish)
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, juice and zest

Olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs

For the vinaigrette

• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 20ml cider vinegar
• 100ml olive oil
• Salt to season

METHOD

1. Fire up the barbecue and let it come to temperature.
2. Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan, leave to cool then roughly chop. Mix with the basil, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Stuff the mushrooms with this mix and sprinkle on the breadcrumbs. Cook on the barbecue on the bottom only until golden and starting to char.
4. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Whisk together the honey, mustard, vinegar and salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until you have a creamy emulsion. Add a few drops of water to loosen a little.

Do a taco takeover meal with this simple and easy dish. Made up of healthy ingredients, this taco is loaded within a crispy gem lettuce wrap and served with a dollop of rich and tangy green chilli and coriander yoghurt.

INGREDIENTS

For the meat mushroom blend

• 300g chestnut mushrooms, diced finely by hand or in a food processor
• 400g lean beef mince
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp taco seasoning (make your own with 1 tbsp each of paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme, dried garlic and dried onion)
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced into strips
• Olive oil, to sauté
• 2 little gem lettuces, outer leaves

For the guacamole

• 1 avocado, ripe
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• Salt and pepper, to season

METHOD

1. Firstly, make up the guacamole by mashing together the avocado, lime zest, lime juice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Next, make up the yoghurt by stirring the chilli and coriander into the yoghurt and season well. Set aside.
3. In a sauté pan, heat some olive oil. Cook the onion and green pepper for a few minutes on a medium high heat, then turn the heat up and add the mince.
4. After a few minutes when the mince has browned, add the chopped mushrooms. Season well, mix thoroughly and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the taco seasoning and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Lay out lettuce leaves on a large plate. Allow 3 per person. Load up each leaf with the meat and mushroom blend. Serve with a dollop of guacamole, yoghurt and sprinkle with coriander leaves.