ALL bodies are beach bodies but if you need to make peace with the bikini and cut back on some carbs, here are two great recipes to try, from The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association. Don’t forget that the Power Of Pink campaign runs throughout October at Pick n Pay stores nationally.
BANTING/KETO MUSHROOM PIZZA
Makes 1 large pizza
Ingredients
Dough:
- 90g almond flour/ground almonds
- 125g mozzarella, grated (do not use pre grated mozzarella – it gets tossed with starch to keep it from sticking together and will prevent it from melting homogeneously)
- 2 Tbsp cream cheese
- 1 large egg
Toppings:
- 125ml tomato purée
- 1 tsp dried herbs
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 150g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 100g mozzarella, grated
- 1-2 Tbsp pickled jalapeños
- 1 Tbsp baby capers
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Handful fresh rocket, to serve
Method
- Preheat oven to 200˚C, fan on.
- Place the almond flour, mozzarella and cream cheese in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Heat and keep stirring with a firm spatula or wooden spoon until melted and well combined.
- Remove from the heat and add the egg.
- Working quickly, stir until the egg has been incorporated and the dough is smooth.
- Place the dough between 2 large pieces of baking paper.
- Roll out thinly into a ± 30cm pizza base.
- Remove the top piece of baking paper and slide the dough onto a large baking tray.
- Prick the base all over with a fork.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes until golden.
- Carefully flip the base and bake for a further 2-3 minutes on the other side.
- While the base is cooking, combine the tomato puree, dried herbs and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and reduce until thickened. Season to taste.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan and cook the mushrooms until barely tender but not cooked through. Season lightly.
- Spread the tomato sauce over the pizza base.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella.
- Top with mushrooms, capers and jalapeños.
- Return to the oven and reduce the heat to 180˚C.
- Cook until the cheese melts and is lightly golden brown.
- Scatter with fresh rocket, black pepper and serve.
- Pairing suggestion: Hope Gin & Tonic garnished with wedges of fresh lime.
LEMON BUTTER KINGKLIP & MUSHROOM PARCELS
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 200g baby leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 250g white button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 x ±180g kingklip or similar sustainable white fish portions
- ½ lemon, sliced thinly
- Fresh dill sprigs, for serving
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Preheat braai or oven to medium high heat, around 180˚C.
- Place two large rectangles of baking paper on the kitchen counter.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the leeks with a good pinch of salt until soft. Divide in two between the pieces of baking paper placing the filling onto one side of the paper.
- Top with butter beans.
- Combine the butter, garlic, herbs and lemon zest in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Cook for 1 minute until fragrant then remove from the heat.
- Scatter parcels with some of the mushrooms and then top with the fish. Season.
- Finish with the rest of the mushrooms and lemon slices.
- Drizzle everything with the lemon and garlic butter.
- Fold the baking paper over the fish and mushrooms.
- Pleat the edges tightly to seal well.
- Cook for ± 12 minutes until the fish is steamed through and the mushrooms are tender.
- Open parcels carefully and scatter with fresh dill and pour over the lemon juice.
- Serve straight out of the parcels and enjoy.
