Chinese-style Stewed Dried Black Mushroom

Ingredients

2 oz black mushrooms
1/2 cup vegetable stock or 1 can vegetable broth
1 slice ginger
2 stalks green onion

Seasoning

1/2 tsp salt
1-1/3 tsp sugar
1 tsp dark soy sauce

Method

1. Soak and trim stems of mushrooms. Squeeze out excess water and steam with stock, ginger, green onion and 1 tsp wine for 20 minutes. Discard ginger and green onions.
2. Cook mushroom and stock together with 3 tbsp oil. Add seasoning and cook until sauce nearly dries up. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil and remove to serving platter. Garnish with tomato and cucumber flowers. Serve hot.

Source: Hong Kong magazine

Hearty Soup with Assorted Mushrooms, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
7 cups boiling water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 lb chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 stalk celery, minced
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
1/2 cup 35% cream
pinch nutmeg
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

Method

1. Fill a large pot with 3 cups cold water, add the rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the rice is soft and beginning to burst, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cover porcini mushrooms with the boiling water and allow to soak until they soften, about 30 minutes. Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms and chop finely. Strain the mushroom-soaking liquid, discarding any gritty bits. Reserve the liquid for the soup base.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shiitakes and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chanterelles and porcinis and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the brandy and stir for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
6. Melt the butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, celery and kosher salt. Cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to brown slightly.
7. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute to make sure the vegetables are evenly coated. Pour in the strained mushroom-soaking liquid a little at a time, stirring to prevent lumps.
8. Add the butternut squash and let the soup simmer gently for about 7 minutes.
9. Add the cooked rice, the mushroom mixture, and the cream, nutmeg and thyme. Cooking just until soup is heated through. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Style At Home magazine

Portobello Burger with Pineapple, Yam and Guacamole

Ingredients

12 portobello mushrooms
1 jewel yam, peeled
6 slices pineapple
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 tomatoes
1/8 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 (4-inch long) rosemary sprigs

Guacamoli

2 avocados, pitted and diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 green onions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/8 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Sauce

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for oiling barbecue grill
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp sea salt

Method

1. Combine guacamole ingredients in a bowl. Gently fold together until evenly mixed. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients.
3. Remove stems from mushrooms and reserve for another use. Scrape gills from underside of mushrooms with spoon. Peel yam and cut into 6 round slices.
4. Grease barbecue grill with oil and preheat to medium high. On rimmed baking sheet, place mushrooms, yam slices, and pineapple slices in single layer. Brush each item on both sides with marinade. Then dust one side of each pineapple slice with a pinch of smoked paprika.
5. Place mushrooms, yams, and pineapple on preheated grill. Grill pineapple slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Grill mushrooms and yam slices for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove items to baking sheet as they are done to your liking.
6. To assemble and serve, place mushroom caps, stem-side up, on each of 6 serving plates. Divide equal amounts guacamole per cap. Then top with slices of yam, pineapple, and tomato. Season with salt and pepper. Put another mushroom cap, stem-side down on top if the stack and spear each cap with a rosemary sprig. Serve warm.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Alive magazine

Breakfast Egg Cakes with Mushroom and Wild Rice

Ingredients

1/2 cup wild rice
2 tsp gropeseed, comelino or sunflower oil
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
6 large organic eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper

Method

1. Place rice and 2 cups water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender but still slightly chewy, about 40 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, mushrooms and salt. Cook until mushrooms are tender and have given off their liquid, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and peas to pan and cook for 1 minute.
4. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
5. In large bowl, whisk eggs and stir in mushroom mixture, rice, Parmesan, thyme and pepper. Divide mixture among 12 greased or muffin paper-lined standard-sized muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until eggs are set.
6. Let cool for a few minutes before unmoulding.

Makes 4 servings.

Tip

To speed up the cooking time, soak the wild rice in water for several hours.

Source: Sage magazine

Classic French Dish of Truffled Baby Chicken

Ingredients

4 poussins (baby chickens), about 1-1/4 pounds each
1 small fresh or flash-frozen black truffle (about 1 ounce), cut into 1/16-inch or slightly thinner slices
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter: 4 tablespoons at room temperature, 2 tablespoons melted
Fleur de sel

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a large shallow roasting pan.
2. Rinse the poussins under cold running water; dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towels. Using your fingertips, carefully loosen the flesh over the breast of each chicken, working first from the tail end and then from the neck; be careful not to tear the skin. Using one-quarter of the truffle slices for each bird, lift up the skin and carefully arrange the slices over the breast meat. Season the chickens inside and out with salt and pepper, rubbing the seasonings into the skin. Rub 1 tablespoon of the softened butter generously over each bird. Tie the legs of each chicken together with kitchen twine.
3. Arrange the poussins in the prepared roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes. Baste with the melted butter and roast for about 5 minutes longer. Baste the birds with the pan juices. Roast for about 10 minutes longer, basting once more, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh registers 175°F (80°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Cover the poussins loosely with foil and let rest in a warm place for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the poussins to plates and set out a small bowl of fleur de sel for individual sprinkling.

Note:

To make a pan sauce for the poussin, transfer the birds to a platter, cover with foil, and set aside in a warm place. Spoon off most of the fat from the juices in the roasting pan. Set the pan over low heat and add 1/3 cup dry white wine, stirring to release the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and boil, stirring once or twice, just to cook off the alcohol. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves and stir until the butter is melted. Pour into a small pitcher and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Truffles