Fillet of Beef Stuffed with Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 whole piece of fillet of beef, preferably the middle part (about 2 lb)
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup butter or oil
1 small glass brandy
1 bay leaf
1 pinch thyme (optional)
salt
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 oz fresh mushrooms, or 1-1/2 tablespoons dried mushrooms, soaked in water, squeezed dry and sliced
mushrooms and parsley to garnish

Method

1. Put the beef in a bowl, add the white wine, and leave to marinate overnight.
2. Melt in a pan half the butter, add the brandy, bay leaf, thyme, and salt to taste.
3. Add the onion and cook slowly until golden.
4. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until done. Set aside.
5. Drain the beef, reserving the marinade, and make an incision along the narrow side with a sharp knife.
6. Stuff with the mushroom mixture, seal the two ends with 2 pieces of meat from the inside of the fillet, and tie the meat with string to keep the stuffing inside.
7. Brown the fillet on all sides over high heat in the remaining butter or oil, baste it with some of the marinade, cover the pan, lower the heat, and continue cooking for about 40 minutes — or less, according to taste.
8. Alternatively the fillet may be cooked in the oven. Baste with the cooking juices from time to time.
9. Serve the steak sliced, with the cooking juices, and garnish with whole mushrooms sauteed in butter, and parsley.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: The Cook’s Book

---

Today’s Comic

Baked Rice with Mushrooms and Vegetables

Ingredients

2 bowls cooked rice
5 oz button mushroom
2 fresh shiitake mushrooms
1/3 piece yellow bell pepper
1/3 piece red bell pepper
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 tbsp vegetarian broth
1 tsp dried parsley flakes

Seasoning

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mushroom essence
dash ground white pepper

Method

1. Clean mushrooms. Cut button mushrooms into two halves. Cut shiitake mushroom into thick slices.
2. Clean and cut bell peppers into large dices.
3. Melt butter in a wok on low heat. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add bell peppers and stir-fry until softened.
5. Mix in broth and seasoning ingredients. Cook briefly and add the rice. Stir-fry to combine.
6. Remove rice mixture to a baking dish. Spread cheese on top.
7. Bake in a preheated 180°C oven until cheese melt and turn golden.
8. Remove from oven and sprinkle parsley flakes on top before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Vegetarian Cuisine

---

Today’s Comic

Grilled Oyster Mushroom Kebabs With Parsley-Spinach Purée

Ingredients

2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley (leaves and stems)
4 cups packed baby spinach leaves
2/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt (may substitute non-dairy yogurt of your choice)
1 (2-inch) piece fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 lb oyster mushrooms
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground sumac, divided

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Blanch the parsley in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then add the spinach and blanch both together for another 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the greens to the ice water and leave until they are cool enough to handle. Drain in a colander or fine-mesh strainer. Form the greens into a ball and squeeze out as much water as possible. Transfer to a kitchen towel, and wring it out until the greens are almost completely dry.
2. Transfer the greens to a blender and add the yogurt, turmeric, garlic, 1/2 tsp of the salt and the cardamom. Purée until smooth. (Add water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, if needed, to help the mixture blend.) If using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney starter with charcoal, light it, and when the coals are red hot, dump them into your grill. Add more charcoal. When all the coals have ashed over and are grey but are still very hot, about 15 minutes, your grill should be medium hot. (Use a grill thermometer or test the heat by holding your hand, palm-down, about 5 inches from the grill. If you can hold it there for 4 to 5 seconds, the heat should be medium heat, or 350 to 450 degrees. (Alternatively, you can cook these on a gas grill or on a stove-top grill pan.) Slice the mushrooms off their cluster, leaving a very small amount of stem intact.
3. Using four metal or soaked wooden skewers, thread the mushrooms through the stems, gill-side down, alternating the tops of the mushrooms from left to right so they cook evenly. You should end up with four full skewers.
4. Brush the mushrooms with a generous amount of oil to coat, including gills. Season with the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp of the sumac.
5. Grill the mushrooms for 2 minutes, then flip the skewers and continue to grill, flipping every 2 minutes, until the edges start to curl and brown, the mushrooms have shrunk significantly, and the stems are soft to the touch, about 8 minutes total.
6. Spread the purée evenly on a platter.
7. Lightly dust the purée with the remaining 1/2 tsp of sumac, place the mushroom skewers on top (or remove the mushrooms from the skewers, if desired, and place over the purée), and serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Washington Post

---

Today’s Comic

Blackened Chicken and Creole Lentils

Ingredients

8 skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/4 cup Cajun spice mix
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Cajun spice mix
1 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked or canned green lentils, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Cajun Spice Mix

4 tsp dried oregano
4 tsp dried thyme
4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ground white pepper
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp kosher or coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F (180 ⁰C).
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with Cajun spice mix.
3. Add canola oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan, over medium high heat and sear chicken on each side until spices turn dark but are not burnt.
4. Finish chicken in the oven. Cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 ⁰F (74 ⁰C).
5. Prepare the lentils. In a large saucepan, heat canola oil. Sauté onions until golden. Add mushrooms and cook until golden as well, then add tomato paste with spice mix. Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Mix in stock, being sure to scrape the tasty bits off the pan with your wooden spoon. Add lentils and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until excess liquid is absorbed.
7. Add butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with blackened chicken.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: Dietitians of Canada

---

Today’s Comic

Congee with Meatballs

Ingredients

100 g rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
40 g mini conpoy (小元貝)
16 cups water
2 thousand-year eggs (皮蛋), diced
shredded ginger and green onion

Meatballs

240 g ground pork
1/4 cup chopped preserved mustard (葱菜)
1/4 cup Chinese mushroom, soaked and chopped
1 tsp chopped ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
dash sesame oil and pepper
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp light soy sauce
5-6 tbsp water

Method

1. Rinse and drain rice, mix with salt and oil, set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Rinse mini conpoy. Bring water to a boil in a pot, add rice and mini conpoy, bring back to a boil, adjust to medium heat, half-cover and cook until congee consistency (approx. 45 to 50 minutes).
3. In a mixing bowl, mix ground pork, chopped ingredients and seasonings together, stir well until sticky. Chill for 30 minutes. Form into meatballs.
4. When congee is ready, add eggs and meatballs, cook and season to taste.
5. Ladle congee to serving bowls. Sprinkle with shredded ginger and spring onion before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Congee and Noodles

---

Today’s Comic