Scrumptious mushrooms on the coals – you won’t even miss the meat

EVERYONE’S ready for summer, the braai, the beach and the sun. Luckily the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association’s  flavoursome, low kilojoule and easy-to-make mushroom braai recipes will also keep your body in tip-top shape for a summer that promises to be the best since 2020.

Whether you’re just cutting down a bit on meat or going vegetarian or vegan, SAMFA’s got you covered. 

BRAAI MUSHROOMS WITH CHICKPEA STUFFING 

Makes  8 (pictured above)

Ingredients:

Tahini lemon drizzle: 

• 4 cloves garlic
• 80ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 150g tahini
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Pinch of salt 

Lemony breadcrumbs:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 50g breadcrumbs 
• 1 small garlic clove, grated 
• Zest of 1 lemon 

Stuffing:

• 2 tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced 
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 3 Tbsp chives, chopped
• 3 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 8 large portabello mushrooms
• Olive oil, for cooking 
• Salt and pepper, to taste 

Method

• Preheat braai to medium high heat. 

For the tahini lemon drizzle:

• Combine the garlic and lemon juice and blend briefly with a stick blender.
• Allow flavours to develop for 5 minutes and then strain through a fine mesh sieve. 
• In a medium sized bowl combine the garlic infused lemon juice, tahini, cumin and salt. 
• Pour in the cold water and whisk to combine until smooth. 

For the lemony breadcrumbs: 

• Heat olive oil in a frying pan. 
• Add breadcrumbs and toast until golden. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Switch off the heat and add the garlic, mixing it in well using the residual heat. 
• Finally mix in the lemon zest and set aside until serving. 

For the stuffing:

• Toast chickpeas in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until beginning to brown. 
• Combine all the stuffing ingredients and the toasted chickpeas in a bowl together and season to taste. 

For the mushrooms:

• Brush the portabellos with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Braai until tender and lightly charred all over. 
• Turn mushrooms gills side up and fill with the stuffing. 
• Close braai lid and allow to heat through. 
• Serve stuffed portabellos with a sprinkle of lemony breadcrumbs and a generous dollop of tahini drizzle. 

MUSHROOM & COUSCOUS BRAAI BUTTERNUT 

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 medium butternuts

Stuffing: 

• 1 cup couscous 
• 250ml chicken or vegetable stock, just boiled
• 200g baby leeks, sliced
• 300g baby portabellini/baby button mushrooms, sliced in half 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 small chilli, sliced and deseeded if desired 
• 100g feta cheese, crumbled 
• Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped 
• 3 Tbsp za’atar spice blend 
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

• Preheat braai to medium high heat. 
• Cut each butternut in half and scoop out the seeds. 
• Brush the halves with olive oil and season well with salt. 
• Wrap in tinfoil and place on the braai.
• Braai for 30 – 40 minutes, or until cooked through and soft when pierced with a knife.
• When the butternut is almost ready, prepare the filling. 
• Place couscous in a bowl and pour over the stock. 
• Mix and cover with a lid or tight plastic wrap. 
• Using a large cast iron pan on the braai or stovetop, heat a drizzle of olive oil.
  Add the sliced leeks and cook until tender. 
• Add the baby button mushrooms and cook until tender.
• Add the garlic and chilli and cook until fragrant. 
• Fluff up the couscous with a fork and add to the pan. Toss to combine. 
• Remove filling from the heat and mix in the roughly crumbled feta cheese and parsley. 
• Unwrap butternut halves and fill generously with the mushroom stuffing.
• Sprinkle liberally with za’atar and serve straight away.

MUSHROOM GARLIC BREAD 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

• 1 large baguette
• 115g butter, softened
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 60g Parmesan, grated 
• 250g portabellini mushrooms, sliced 
• Fresh thyme leaves, for serving
• Olive oil, for cooking 
• Salt and pepper, to taste  

Method

• Preheat braai onto a medium heat. 
• Cut the baguette lengthwise in half. 
• Toast baguette halves until lightly golden brown on the braai, cut side down. Remove. 
• Combine butter, garlic, oregano and a good amount of salt and pepper in a small bowl. 
• Mix well. 
• Spread evenly over the bread. 
• Sprinkle bread with half of the Parmesan. 
• Heat a frying pan on high heat or a cast iron pan on the braai. 
• Add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the mushrooms until tender and golden. Season well. 
• Spread mushrooms all over the bread and finish with the rest of the parmesan. 
• Return the bread to the braai and close the lid. Cook until the cheese and garlic butter mixture melt into the bread and the outside is crisp. 
• (If you don’t have a braai with a lid, wrap the garlic mushroom bread in tinfoil.) 
• Serve straight off the braai, sprinkle with thyme leaves and cut into chunky wedges. 

PORTABELLO STEAKS, ZUCCHINI CHIPS & GARLIC AIOLI

Serves 2

Ingredients

Cheat’s garlic aioli:

• 1 large clove garlic, finely grated 
• 125ml high quality French style creamy mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of sea salt 

Chips:

• 4 large zucchinis/baby marrows 
• 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 

Steaks:

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup mixed fresh herbs, parsley / oregano / mint / basil etc 
• 160ml olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• Pinch of sea salt 
• 4 large portabello mushroom steaks 

Method

For the aioli:

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well. 
• Season to taste and set aside in the fridge until serving. 

For the chips: 

• Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut the zucchini into very thin rounds. 
• Toss in a bowl with a good pinch of salt. 
• Spread the slices out in a single layer on a clean dishcloth for 5 minutes.
• Take another dishcloth and cover them and press gently to extract as much water out of the zucchini as possible. 
• Heat an air fryer to 180˚C. 
• Coat the air fryer basket or tray with cooking / olive oil spray. 
• Add enough zucchini slices to sit in a single layer. 
• Sprinkle zucchini with about 1 Tbsp of the grated Parmesan cheese and a little garlic powder. Air-fry until golden-brown, 7 to 8 minutes. 
• Check the chips halfway through. Small chips may brown and crisp before larger ones.
• Transfer the chips to a serving plate. Repeat air frying the remaining zucchini. 

For the steaks:

• Preheat a braai on medium high heat. 
• Combine all the ingredients except the mushrooms in a small jug.
• Blitz with a stick blender. 
• Place mushrooms steaks on the braai and brush them liberally with the herby garlic oil. 
• Braai until tender and lightly charred all over, basting while you cook. 
• Serve mushrooms hot off the braai with a pile of zucchini chips, a good dollop of aioli and some more herb oil on the side. 

Enjoy!