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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

What’s in the Mushrooms and Why People Love Them

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Image via mushroominfo
Image via mushroominfo

They’re soft, delicious and give a different kind of texture to any dish. Whether they’re mixed in with other ingredients or served separately as a side dish, these mushrooms are a favorite of many people, young and old alike.

Mushrooms are healthy and regardless of how they’re served, they provide some health benefits. They’re rich in copper, potassium, folate, dietary fiber, selenium, zinc, manganese and Vitamins B1 and B2. They also produce Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight and UV radiation.

Health Benefits

And being cholesterol-free as well as low in calories, fat and sodium, this food is very ideal for people following a special diet to lose or maintain their weight. In fact, it contains more protein than most vegetables making it a good choice for the vegetarians.

The portobello variety is also known to contain antioxidants such as the L-ergothioneine while the white button kind is reported to have a great potential in improving the immune system. In the Asian region, mushrooms are well known for their immune-enhancing properties. [Read more…]

Know Your Mushrooms and Buy Them Right

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Mushrooms are one of the most common ingredients used in numerous dishes. They may not have a flavorful taste on their own but when mixed with other ingredients, they add a unique texture to the dish.

portobello mushrooms

Unlike what some people believe, the mushroom is not a vegetable. It is produced by a fungus that grows on a decaying material. In the 1960s, it was reclassified into the Kingdom of Fungi, a so-called hidden kingdom. Today, however, it is cultivated in a controlled environment, specifically in a windowless building with even temperature and humidity.

As of 2008, the top five mushroom-producing countries in the world based on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) statistics are China at number one followed by the U.S., the Netherlands, Poland and France. [Read more…]

Brunch Strata

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Brunch strata is a cheesy vegetable dish with a little bit of creaminess. Its many ingredients give out various tastes and qualities.

It is a breakfast/brunch dish which can be served with salad to serve as a light afternoon or evening meal. You may do away with the ham for a vegetarian version.

Serves 16:

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

3 cups chopped zucchini

2 cups cooked ham, cubed

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 cups chopped green pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 8oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

12 eggs

4 cups day-old bread, cubed

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onions for two to three minutes or until fragrant and the onions are soft. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, ham and green peppers. Cook them for six to eight minutes or until the vegetables are tender, but crunchy. Transfer them on a plate with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Set aside.

Place the cream cheese and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat it by hand or using an electric mixer until it becomes smooth. Gradually beat in the eggs. Add the bread, Cheddar cheese and the sautéed vegetables.

Season it with salt and pepper to taste.

Grease two 11x7x2 baking pans or dishes. Transfer the vegetable mixture into these greased pans. Bake them uncovered for 30-40 minutes at 350F or until a small knife comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

Image from: ImNotQuiteJack

Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms

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Pork tenderloin with mushrooms is a creamy dish that is great with potatoes or salad. The truffle oil gives it a savory taste, while the mushrooms adds some “umami” an indescribable delectable taste.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

900g pork tenderloin, sliced thinly

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Portobello mushroom, sliced

4 pieces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

6 button mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup white wine

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup cream

1 teaspoon truffle oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Use this mixture to dredge the pork.

Next, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Fry the pork tenderloin slices for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.

Place the Portobello and shiitake mushrooms in the same pan. Cook it for 3 minutes and then add the button mushrooms. Let it cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and sprinkle with thyme.

Return the pork slices in the pan. Let it simmer until the liquid has been reduced to half. Stir in the cream and then adjust the taste by adding salt and pepper. Drizzle with truffle oil before serving.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: throughnothing

Stir-fried Three Mushroom Noodles

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Stir-fried three mushroom noodles is a delicious dish that you can prepare in minutes. The different tastes and texture of the mushroom is enhanced by the hoisin sauce.  You can also add some more vegetables for more color and better taste.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

185g egg noodles

1 bunch broccolini

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

8 green shallots, ends trimmed and cut diagonally

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

150g oyster mushrooms

100g shiitake mushrooms, halved

100g enoki mushrooms

 

Place noodles in a pot of boiling water and cook according to package instructions or until soft. Drain well. Return to the pot and then add the soy sauce. Toss until the noodles are coated in soy sauce. Cover to keep warm.

Remove the broccolini florets and then slice the stalks lengthwise to form thin strips. Rinse and set aside to dry.

Next, heat the oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Stir-fry the broccolini florets and stalks for 2-3 minutes or until it turns bright green and it is a bit tender. Add the shallots and cook it for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the hoisin sauce and place the shiitake and oyster mushrooms in the pan. Cook it for 3-5 minutes or until soft. Add the enoki mushrooms last and stir-fry it for another minute.

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Spoon some stir-fried mushrooms over them before serving. Add more hoisin sauce if desired. Serve immediately.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  La.blasco

Wild Mushroom and Noodle Stir-Fry

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Wild mushroom and noodle stir-fry is a delicious vegetable dish that you will surely love. The light taste of the mushrooms gives this noodle dish a hint of flavor. Add more vegetables like carrots or celery if desired. Chili can give it a zing too. Be creative and add sauces that you like. You may use sesame oil instead of peanut oil and top it with sesame seeds as well. This quick and easy recipe can be eaten as a midday snack or as a side along with other Asian dishes.

 

Ingredients:

200g pack egg noodles

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 onion, sliced

300g wild mushrooms, torn in half

100g enoki mushrooms, trimmed

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Chinese broccoli (gai lan), trimmed and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

Ground white pepper to taste

2 spring onions, thinly sliced, to serve

 

Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package instructions or until soft. Drain it and rinse it under running water. After, make sure there is no more excess liquid. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Add half of the peanut oil and some white pepper. Toss and then set aside.

Heat the rest of the peanut oil in a large frying pan or wok. Sauté the garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes until they are fragrant and the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms, oyster sauce and soy sauce. Stir-fry them for 2-3 minutes to allow them to absorb the sauces. Pour in the water and then add the Chinese broccoli. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook it for another 2 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the broccoli is cooked.

Place the noodles in the frying pan or wok. Add the lime juice. Gently toss for 1 minute until the noodles are coated with sauce. Season it with white pepper and add more soy sauce if needed to adjust the taste if desired.

Transfer the stir-fried noodles and mushrooms to a serving plate or individual plates. Garnish with spring onions before serving. Serve warm.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: missmeng

Mushroom Pate

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Mushrooms are versatile ingredients. They can be eaten as is or added to other dishes. I can think of a long list of dishes that can be prepared with it.  They are also nutritious because they contain vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Here’s a simple pate recipe that you can prepare and store as well. It is best eaten with bread and crackers as well.

 

Ingredients:

30g butter

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 brown onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

300g cup button mushrooms, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

125g softened cream cheese

1/3 cup fresh continental parsley, chopped

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

 

Melt the butter in a large skillet under medium heat. Sauté the onions until they become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they are light brown.

Put the mushrooms and the thyme in the skillet. Increase the heat to high and add the white wine. Cook it for 5-8 minutes or until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are soft. You may add more wine if needed. Set aside and let it cool for 15-20 minutes.

Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a blender or food processor. Add the parsley and cream cheese. Blend it until smooth. Season it with salt and pepper.

Place the pate in a sealed container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set. Spread over toasted bread or crackers.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  jules:stonesoup

 

Scrambled Eggs and Mushroom on Toast

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Here is a filling breakfast recipe that everyone will love. It is a perfect match to coffee or orange juice. You can also have fruits on the side. This dish can be a healthy snack as well.

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

400 grams button mushrooms, sliced

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

125 grams cherry tomatoes cut in half

1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

4 slices, whole wheat bread

1 cup cottage cheese

 

In a non-stick skillet, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in medium heat. Fry the beaten eggs and scramble them. Transfer it to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil on the skillet. Add the mushrooms and paprika. Cook it for 8-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the mushrooms and heat it for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle it with salt and chopped parsley. Mix well.

Toast the bread. Assemble toasts by placing scrambled eggs and mushrooms. Top it with cottage cheese. Serve immediately.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: minor9th

 

 

Seafood and Autumn Vegetable Wholemeal Spaghetti

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Near-impossible to resist if you’re a fan of Seafood, this dish is also very healthy and very quick to make – taking twenty five minutes including preparation time.

Seafood and Autumn Vegetable Wholemeal Spaghetti

You can use Cod for this recipe, or any other White fish, if you have a preference – try with Coley or even some Scallops for a treat!

To Serve 4
300g Wholemeal Spaghetti
1tbsp Olive Oil
250g Mushrooms, sliced
500g Frozen Cod, defrosted and diced
200g Frozen Peas, defrosted
100g Frozen Prawns, defrosted
1 packet mix for Cheese Sauce
300ml Semi-Skimmed Milk

1. Cook the Spaghetti in a pan of slightly salted boiling water for twelve minutes, or until ‘al dente’, then drain and return to the pan.
2. Heat the tablespoon of Olive Oil in a large frying pan, then add the Mushrooms and fry for two to three minutes before adding the Fish chunks and cook for another one or two minutes.
3. Stir in the Peas and Prawns, then cook for two more minutes.
4. In a small saucepan, mix the Cheese Sauce powder with the Semi-Skimmed Milk, as per the packet instructions.
5. Pour this over the Drained Spaghetti, then gently mix in the Mushroom, Fish, Peas and Prawns, and cook for a further minute to warm through, stirring all the time.
6. Serve straight away, with a fresh Green Salad.

Photo Courtesy of: Noonch

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

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This is a healthy baked pasta dish. The sweetness of the zucchini and the bell peppers make the dish extra tasty.

I prefer cooking it with tomato sauce, but cream is equally good.

 

Ingredients:
3 cups uncooked penne pasta (9 oz)

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced

2 cups fresh mushrooms cut in half

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup tomato sauce or cream

2 cups milk

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

 

Preheat the oven at 350F.

In a pot of boiling water with salt and oil, cook the pasta according to package instructions or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the bell peppers, mushrooms and zucchini. Add oil, Italian seasoning and salt. Toss well until the vegetables are coated with oil and spices.  Place the vegetables in a greased baking pan. Bake it for 15-20 minutes or until they are soft. Transfer them to a plate.

In a saucepan under medium heat, combine the milk and tomato sauce or cream. Stir in half of the cheese until it is melted. Add the pasta and half of the vegetables. Mix well.

Place the pasta in the baking pan.  Top it with the remaining vegetables and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and turns light brown. Let it cool for 5 minutes and then serve.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: mastermaq

 

 

 

 

Mixed Mushroom Parcels

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This is a simple dish, great served as a starter, or even as a light summer lunch dish. Using a jar of mixed Mushrooms will give you a range of tastes and textures, but if you’re particularly fond of a certain Mushroom, then use more of that variety if you want!

Mixed Mushroom Parcels

To Serve 6
50g Wild Rice
Salt and Pepper
125g Butter
175g Onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
175g Celery, finely chopped
175g Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
700g Brown and White Capped Mushrooms, chopped
225g Jar Mixed Wild Mushrooms in oil
75g Toasted Hazelnuts, chopped
75g No-Soak Dried Apricots, chopped
6 Sheets Filo Pastry
1tbsp Sesame Seeds
4tbsp Chopped Fresh Chives
200g Crème Fraiche

1. Cook the Rice in boiling salted water until tender, before draining and setting aside.
2. Melt twenty five grams of Butter in a large pan then cook the Onion and Garlic for around ten minutes, until soft and brown. Add the Celery and Carrot. Fry for a further three or four minutes. Add another twenty five grams of Butter to the pan then add the Fresh Mushrooms. Cook uncovered for another fifteen minutes with no cover on, so that the all the excess liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the Drained Mushrooms to the pan, and cook for five more minutes. Remove from the heat, before seasoning to taste, and stirring in the Hazelnuts, Wild Rice and Apricots into the Mushroom mixture.
4. Butter one sheet of Filo Pastry with a small amount of melted Butter, then fold in half, then in half again – you should aim to end up with a sheet about nine inches square. Place a sixth of the mixture in the centre of the sheet, and gather up the sides to form a parcel. Press gently to seal shut, and then repeat with the rest of the sheets of Pastry. Brush the tops with Butter, and sprinkle with a small amount of the Sesame Seeds.
5. Place the Parcels on a warmed baking sheet, then bake at 190 C for twenty five to thirty minutes. Stir the Chives into the Crème Fraiche, and season to taste. Serve the Parcels on a plate with a spoonful of the Sauce.

Photo Courtesy of: randomduck

Baked Vegetables with a Spicy Sauce

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A simple dish, that can be used as a side for a range of meats – especially Roast dinners such as Chicken, Beef or Pork – you name it, this dish can go with it. It’s best served with a simple tasting dish, otherwise the combinations of the flavours will be too overpowering, and you may not fully appreciate the range of tastes that are on offer.

Vegetables

To Serve 6
8 Cherry Tomatoes
3 Rosemary Sprigs
125ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt and Pepper
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and halved
1 Yellow Pepper, deseeded and halved
6 Shallots, peeled
1 Aubergine, cut into thin slices
3 Courgettes, thickly sliced
1 Fennel Bulb, quartered lengthwise
175g Parsnips, halved
125g Baby Sweetcorn, halved lengthwise
225g Mushrooms, left whole
1tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 Small Onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and finely sliced
1 Green Chilli, peeled and finely sliced
2tsp Capers
2tsp Soft Brown Sugar
Juice of ½ Lemon
175g Passata

1. Cut a small cross in the base of each Tomato, but make sure you leave them whole. Strip the Rosemary Leaves, and chop finely before adding them into a bowl with the Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. Add the Tomatoes, Peppers, Shallots, Aubergines, Courgettes, Fennel, Parsnips, Baby Sweetcorn and Mushrooms, turning to make sure they are coated evenly, leaving to absorb the flavours for at least an hour.
2. Put all of the Vegetables (except for the Tomatoes) into a large, flat baking tray, and put in the oven at 220C, turning and basting for around forty minutes, until they are cooked through and browning slightly. Add the Tomatoes after thirty minutes.
3. For the Spicy Sauce, heat the Sunflower Oil, and add the sliced Onion, Garlic, Chilli and fry until they are starting to soften. In a food processor, add the Capers, Sugar, Lemon Juice and Passata, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper, and add to the Chilli mixture in the pan. Cover the pan and cook for five to ten minutes, stirring from time to time.
4. Once cooked, allow the Vegetables to drain slightly of the Oil, and serve on a plate, with the Sauce to the side

Photo Courtesy of: AndyRob

Pan Fried Cod with Chanterelle Mushrooms

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These Mushrooms are quite rare, but the unique flavours and aromas that are in different varieties range from fruity, through to woody and spicy. However, if you can’t find these on their own for this recipe, use Mixed Mushrooms.

Chanterelle Mushrooms

To serve 4
4 Slices of White Bread
4 Cod Steaks, each weighing around 175g
75g butter
2tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper
4 Spring Onions, finely Chopped
225g Chanterelle Mushrooms (or Mixed Mushrooms)
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and Crushed
3tbsp Crème Fraiche
2tbsp Fresh Chives, finely Chopped
3tbsp Flour

1. Remove the crusts from the Bread, and cut into a similar size and shape to the Cod Steaks.
2. Heat half of the Butter and Oil in a pan, and fry the Bread slices until crisp and golden on both sides, and keep warm.
3. Season the Cod, then coat with Flour. Heat the rest of the Butter in a pan, and then Fry the Cod for about five minutes on each side, until cooked through and golden brown in colour, before removing from the pan and keeping warm.
4. In the pan, add the Spring Onions, Mushrooms and Garlic, and cook off for around five minutes until the juices from the Mushrooms are starting to run. Stir the Crème Fraiche into the pan, and heat through gently, and mix in half of the Chives.
5. On a plate, place the Fried Bread (or croute) in the centre, then position a Cod Steak on top, then spoon some of the Mushroom Mixture on top of the fish, and some of the juices around the plate.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining Chives and serve at once.

Photo Courtesy of: laura padgett