THE festive season is the time to eat, drink and be merry, with all sorts of delicious holiday food to tempt us. Sadly, this can lead to adding a few kilograms to the scale but the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association has shared three scrumptious recipes that won’t have you loosening your belt.
ROASTED HAKE ON TOMATO & MUSHROOM LENTILS
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 400g Portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
- 1 cup / 220g brown lentils
- 750ml low sodium vegetable stock
- 3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 baby marrows, diced
- 4 x 125g hake fillets (or similar sustainable white fish)
- 1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
- Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Green side salad, for serving
Method
- Heat a drizzle of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil in a large pot or spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Sauté the mushrooms until golden brown.
- Add the onion and carrot and cook until soft.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, lentils, stock and thyme.
- Mix well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid but remain a little saucy, about 30 minutes.
- Add the baby marrow and simmer for a few minutes until tender.
- Discard the thyme sprigs and taste to adjust seasoning.
- When the lentils are almost tender, preheat the oven on the grill setting.
- Place fish fillets on a baking tray, and brush with the mustard.
- Sprinkle with the dried herbs and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place in the upper third of the oven and roast for 5-7 minutes until just cooked through.
- Serve the roasted hake on a bed of the warm mushroom lentils along with a crunchy green side salad and enjoy.
BRAISED PORK WITH MUSHROOMS AND BUTTER BEANS
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 500g lean pork fillet, cut into chunky cubes
- 400g Portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 300g leeks, washed and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 Tbsp stoneground wholemeal flour
- 500ml low sodium chicken stock
- 1 x 400g tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
- 200g Swiss chard, roughly chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh mint leaves, for serving
- Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 200˚C.
- Heat a drizzle of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil in an oven safe frying pan or spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Season the pork cubes with a little salt and pepper.
- Sear until the cubes are golden.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Remove from the heat and set aside with the pork.
- Sauté the leeks until soft.
- Use a lid to create steam and help cook the leeks without needing extra oil. Once softened, add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute until fragrant.
- Scatter the flour over the vegetables and mix it in well.
- Pour in the chicken stock and butter beans. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and add the pork and mushrooms back into the pan.
- Add the Swiss chard and mix through.
- Transfer to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes until the pork is just cooked through and the leeks are very tender.
- Remove from the oven and stir through the lemon juice and lemon zest. Taste to adjust seasoning.
- Scatter the dish with mint leaves and serve.
MUSHROOM & VEG LOADED PANCAKES WITH TOMATO RELISH
Serves 6
Ingredients
Tomato relish:
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 500g ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 125ml vinegar
- 50g SWEETLY™ or another non-nutritive sweetener of choice
Pancakes:
- 150g stoneground wholemeal flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 180ml ice cold water
- 1 large free-range egg
- ± 2 cups baby button mushrooms, sliced
- ± 2 cups julienned or grated mixed vegetables (baby marrows, carrots, bell peppers, Swiss chard etc… This is an excellent opportunity to use up bits and bobs and clear out your veg drawer)
- 4 spring onions, cut into 4cm long sections and thinly sliced lengthwise into skinny ribbons
- Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
For the relish:
- Heat a drizzle of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan or spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Add the onions with a good pinch of salt and cook until soft and just turning golden.
- Pour in the tomatoes, vinegar and SWEETLY™.
- Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and you have a lovely chunky saucy consistency.
For the pancakes:
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk until well combined.
- Add the egg and ice water and whisk until smooth.
- Fold through the mushrooms, mixed vegetables and half of the spring onions.
- Heat a drizzle of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan or spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Using a quarter cup measure – scoop quarter cupfuls of the mixture into the pan.
- Flatten with the back of the cup measure and shape a little with a spatula.
- Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and the batter is cooked through.
- Cook in batches and keep some warm in the oven while you cook the rest.
Top tip: After this initial cook – these reheat and crisp up in the air fryer beautifully so they are great for meal prepping.
Serve pancakes with the tomato relish for plenty of swishing, topping and dipping.
Another tip: Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil spray is also ideal for cooking as it allows for good coverage and fewer kilojoules.
