Mushroom and nut crumble

If you like mushrooms and crumbles, this recipe is for you!


Makes 6 big ramequins or 8 small ramequins

750g chestnut mushrooms, sliced (you can use a mixture of mushrooms, for a stronger flavour)
400ml vegetable stock
60g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped/crushed
60g plain flour
100ml double cream
2 TBSP chopped parsley

for the crumble topping:
90g porridge oats
90g wholemeal flour
50g mixed chopped nuts
60g chopped pistachios (unsalted)
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and black pepper
90g butter
1 TBSP fennel seeds, to sprinkle

1. Put the sliced mushrooms and stock in a large sauce pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the stock.

2. In a non-stick saucepan, melt the butter and fry the onion and garlic gently until softened. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually mix in the reserved stock, stirring well. Bring to the boil and cook until thickened. Add the mushrooms, seasoning, cream and parsley. Stir well and spoon into ramequins. Alternatively, you can use one single shallow ovenproof dish.

3. To make the crumble, mix all the ingredients but the fennel seeds with the tips of your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Spoon on top of the mushroom mixture in the ramequins. Sprinkle with fennel seeds.

4. Cook in a 180C pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.

Serve hot as a starter or as a main course with side vegetables.

Mushroom vol-au-vent with creamy port sauce

These look quite impressive but are actually easy to make (a little time-consuming, but simple!).

Makes 4 vols-au-vent:

500g ready-made puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

750g mushrooms, chopped (you can use mixed wild mushrooms)
25g butter
6 TBSP port
4 TBSP double cream
2 TBSP parsley, chopped

1. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to make a 20cm square. Divide the square into 4 squares.

2. With a sharp knife, mark a square about 2.5cm from the edge, cutting half-way through the pastry. Draw a pattern on the inside square.

3. Place the four squares onto a baking tray and brush with the beaten egg. Be careful not to let egg go in the cut. Bake in a 220C pre-heated oven for 35 minutes.

4. Cut out the central squares. Discard the soft pastry inside the case, without breaking the base. Return to the oven for 5-10 min.

5. To make the filling, melt the butter into a non-stick saucepan. Add the mushrooms and fry on full heat, stirring constantly, for 3-5 min.

6. Add the port and cook for 10 min until the mushrooms have softened. Stir in the cream and chopped parseley and season with salt and pepper.

7. Fill the pastry cased with the filling, place the 'hat' back on and serve warm with fresh vegetables.

Mushroom quiche (by Trave)

I was away in Warsaw for a couple of days this week and in spite of this, Trave made the effort to make himself a nice dinner and there was even some leftovers for when I came back. Unlike his previous attempt, this quiche was edible. I mean, it was really really nice ;-)



Pastry:
90g wholemeal flour
90g plain white flour
80g butter
pinch of salt
3 TBSP cold water

Filling:
400g chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tsp mixed Italian herbs
100g to 150g cheddar, grated
2 eggs
150ml milk


1. Mix the sieved flours with the butter using your fingertips, until it resemble breadcrumbs. Add the pinch of salt and water. Knead until smooth.

2. Roll out and line a greased ovenproof dish. Cover with baking paper and bake blind with baking beans for 10 minutes. (oven at 180 C) Remove the beans and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Place the mushrooms under the grill until golden brown and drain well. Place the mushrooms into the pastry case, sprinkle with the herbs and the cheese. Mix the eggs and milk and pour over the case.

4. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until set and golden brown. Enjoy hot or cold.

Stuffed mushrooms

I find this recipe nicer than the previous Creamy stuffed mushroom recipe I posted a few weeks back. So, here it is:


Serves 4 main courses or 8 starters

Ingredients:

8 big open-cap mushrooms
1 TBSP olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
100g tofy, finely diced
1 courgette, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
100g wholemeal fresh breadcrumbs
2 TBSP basil/Italian herbs/herbes de Provence
1 TBSP tomato purée
2 TBSP pine kernels
60g Cheddar, grated
150ml vegetable stock

1. Remove stalks from mushrooms and chop finely. Place the caps in a shallow oven-proof dish.

2. Fry all the veg incl. the mushroom stalks and tofu in the olive oil for ~5 min.

3. Stir in the breadcrumbs, basil/herbs, and pine kernels. Season to taste. Mix thoroughly.

4. Divide the veg & breadcrumb mixture into the mushroom cap. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour the veg stock into the dish.

5. Place into a 200 degrees pre-heated oven for 20 minutes (until cheese has melted).

Serve with a salad as a starter or with mixed vegetables as a main course. (I served it with mash potatoes and boiled broccoli)

Creamy stuffed mushrooms

loads of steam in the kitchen then, not a great photo...

These were nice, but I think I preferred the last recipe I used for stuffed mushrooms, which I shall make again and post soon. Although I like mushrooms, I am no big fan of strong wild 'forest' type mushrooms which I was recommended to use here. Next time I make this recipe, I will use standard fresh mushrooms (chestnut mushrooms maybe?) instead of rehydrated dried wild ones.

Ingredients


25g dried wild mushrooms / 40g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
225g floury potatoes, diced
2 TBSP mixed chopped nuts (optional but makes the mixture crunchy!)
4 TBSP double cream
2 TBSP butter, melted
black pepper
8 large open-cap mushrooms
25g grated cheddar
150ml vegetable stock

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 20 minutes. Chop finely. (skip this step if using fresh mushrooms)

2. Cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, drain well and mash. Add the chopped mushrroms and nuts. Add the melted butter & cream and season to taste. Optional: add fresh parsley.

3. Remove the stalks from the open-cap mushrooms, chop the stalks and stir them into the potato mixture. Arrange the open-cap mushrooms into a shallow oven-proof dish. Spoon the mixture into the open-cap mushrooms and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top.

4. Pour the vegetable stock into the dish, around the open-cap mushrooms.

5. Place in a preheated oven (200 degrees) for 20-25 minutes until golden.

6. Serve as a side dish or with green vegetables.


PS: please note I have written most of this recipe with my left hand only as Chatouille the cat is lying half-way between my lap and the laptop, taking over 80% of the mousepad... She is a bit scared of the crazy Guy Fawkes' Night fireworks going on outside. Poor Chatouille.

Leek and mushroom curry

Leek and mushroom curry

To finish this spicy week, here is a quick curry recipe.

Ingredients - Serves 4

2 leeks, sliced
250g mushrooms, sliced
200ml soya cream (or coconut milk, but I am not a big fan of coconut)
2 tsp curry powder
1 TBSP chopped coriander
salt & pepper

2 cups of basmati rice

1 handful of cashew nuts


1. Fry the leek and mushrooms, add the spices, herbs and season to taste.

2. Meanwhile, cook the basmati rice.

3. Roast the cuts under the grill.

4. Serve into warm bowls, it is ready!

Mushroom and red pepper pastries

This is mouth-melting... It is the second time I make this and did not remember it to be so tasty. You should definitely try it. It looks good too!

To make 6 pastries:

40g butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g baby button mushrooms, finely slices
1 small red pepper, very finely chopped
150g sour cream
3 TBSP wholegrain mustard
150g mature Cheddar, Gruyere or Gouda, grated
1kg puff pastry - I used ready-made as I have not tried puff pastry yet. a bit time-consuming ;(
1 egg, beaten

1. Heat the butter in a big pan. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook. Remove from heat, drain the juice from the mushrooms, stir in the red pepper and set aside in a bowl.

2. Mix the sour cream, mustard, and half the cheese in a mixing bowl.

3. With the pastry, make 12 discs of ~14cm diameter.

4. Cover 2 baking trays with baking paper and arrange 6 discs on them. On each disc, spoon some cream mixture and top with the mushroom mixture. sprinkle with cheese. Cover each disc with a blank disc and seal with egg. brush each pastry with eagg and sprinkle with cheese.

5. Bake in a 180 degrees preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve with fresh vegetables.



Feuilletés aux champignons et poivrons rouges

Cette recette est un délice !

Ingrédients pour 6 feuilletés :

40g beurre
2 gousses d'ail écrasées
500g champignons de Paris émincés(la taille la plus petite que vous pourrez trouver !)
1 petit poivron rouge, coupé en tous petits dés
150g créme fraíche
3 c. soupe moutarde en grain
150g fromage rápé
1kg páte feuilletée (j'ai honte mais j'ai acheté la mienne toute préte)
1 oeuf battu

1. Faire fondre le beurre dans une grande casserole. Y ajouter l'ail et les champignons. Une fois cuits, essorer les champignons dans du sopalin et mettre dans un saladier. Y mélanger le poivron.

2. Mélanger dans un autre bol la créme, moutarde et la moitié du fromage.

3. Former 12 disques de diamétre 14cm.

4. Couvrir 2 plaques avec du papier sulfurisé et mettre 3 disques sur chaque. Sur chaque disque, mettre d'abord un peu de la préparation crémeuse, puis le mélange champignons/poivrons par dessus. Parsemer d'un peu de fromage. Couvrir avec les disques restant en scellant avec l'oeuf. Couvrir les feuilletés d'oeuf puis parsemer de fromage.

5. Passer au four préchauffer á 180 degrés pendant 20 minutes. Servir avec des légumes frais.