MUSHROOMS are a versatile ingredient to have on hand at all times, and these recipes from the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association match them with meaty options. They’ll make your money go further, plus you can treat that special man in your life to a hearty winter meal (plus a salad if you’re somewhere warmer).
STICKY BEEF & MUSHROOM STIR FRY
Serves 4
Ingredients
Rice:
- 250ml uncooked white basmati rice
- 375ml water
- 1 tsp sea salt
Stir fry:
- 400g sirloin, rump or similar steak
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- 400g white button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red pepper, julienned
- 1 bunch spring onions, sliced into large pieces
- 60ml oyster sauce
- 60ml hoisin sauce
- 125ml beef stock
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- Sesame seeds, for serving
- Peanut oil, for cooking
Method
For the rice:
- Place rice, water and salt in a small pot over medium high heat, lid off.
- Bring to a boil.
- Place lid on, then turn heat down to very low.
- Cook for 12 minutes.
- Switch the heat off and leave for 5 to 10 minutes with the lid on to steam, then fluff with a fork.
For the stir fry:
- Slice the steak into slices about 5cm long and 5mm thick.
- Be sure to cut against the grain of the meat so it is tender.
- Place slices in a bowl.
- Scatter over the cornstarch and then the soy sauce, sesame oil and mirin.
- Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Heat a wok or large non-stick frying pan until very hot.
- Add a drizzle of peanut oil and swirl it around.
- Add the beef slices and stir-fry quickly until lightly browned.
- Remove the meat from the wok and set aside.
- Wipe the wok clean and reheat it on high heat.
- Add a drizzle of peanut oil.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly golden.
- Add the red pepper and spring onions and cook for a minute until slightly softened.
- Pour in the oyster and hoisin sauces.
- Mix the beef stock and cornstarch.
- Add to the wok and mix everything together.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Add the beef back into the pan and toss in the sauce for a minute to reheat and glaze.
- Serve the saucy sticky beef and mushrooms with the fluffy white basmati.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!
STEAK & MUSHROOM NIÇOISE SALAD
Serves 4
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad:
- 1 large sirloin or rump steak (about 350g)
- 500g portabello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 180g mixed salad leaves
- 100g fine green beans, lightly steamed
- 1 hard boiled egg, cut into quarters
- 8 baby / fingerling potatoes, boiled and halved
- 1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
- 1 Tbsp capers
- Handful black olives, pitted
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
For the dressing:
- Whisk all the ingredients except the olive oil together.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified.
- Taste to adjust seasoning.
- Set dressing aside until serving.
For the salad:
- Preheat a cast iron pan on medium high heat.
- Generously rub the steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook steak until you have a deeply golden brown crust on the outside and it is cooked to your liking on the inside. 52˚C – 54˚C for medium rare.
- Transfer steak to a cutting board.
- Allow to rest.
- Slice steak against the grain just before serving.
- Add a fresh drizzle of olive oil to the pan.
- Add the portabellos and sauté until golden brown.
- Season with salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar.
- To serve:
- On a large serving platter, arrange the salad leaves.
- Top with the mushrooms, steak and the rest of the ingredients.
- Layer the ingredients as you go so when dishing up, everyone gets a little bit of everything.
- Drizzle with a little salad dressing and serve with some crusty bread on the side.
SPEEDY CHOPPED MUSHROOM & LAMB CURRY
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 500g leg of lamb, deboned and diced into small cubes
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 Tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 Tbsp curry powder of choice
- 375ml beef, lamb or mushroom stock
- 400ml coconut milk
- 4 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut into little cubes
- 500g portabellini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 Tbsp curry powder of choice
- 80g frozen peas
- Steamed basmati rice, to serve
- Fresh coriander, to garnish
- Lime wedges, to serve
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for cooking
Method
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat.
- Add the lamb, season with a little salt and brown in batches.
- Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add onion, garlic and ginger.
- Cook, stirring often until tender and fragrant.
- Add the curry powder and cook for a minute.
- Return lamb to the pan, along with the stock, coconut milk and potatoes.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Just before the potatoes are done, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan.
- Add the portabellinis and cook until golden brown.
- Season with the curry powder and salt.
- Add the golden curried mushrooms and the frozen peas to the curry.
- Simmer until the peas are cooked.
- Serve the curry in generous mounds over steamed basmati rice.
- Garnish with coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
CHICKEN & MUSHROOM MARSALA
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 large free-range chicken breasts, sliced in half
- ½ cup flour
- 500g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- ½ cup / 125ml Marsala wine
- 250ml chicken stock
- 125ml cream
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 500g zoodles / zucchini noodles / baby marrow spaghetti, to serve
- Freshly chopped chives, for serving
- Salt and pepper, to taste,
- Olive oil, for cooking
Method
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl.
- Season the chicken pieces on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Dredge in the flour.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and cook until golden on both sides.
- Remove from the pan and set aside
- Add mushrooms to the frying pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they have released their juices and browned well.
- Add shallots, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring, until shallots are tender and garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the Marsala wine and deglaze the pan.
- Add the chicken stock, cream and soy sauce.
- Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Return the chicken to the pan.
- Simmer the chicken in the sauce to cook through and warm up.
- Just before serving, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan.
- Cook zucchini noodles on high heat until just warmed through and tender but retain a nice bit of crunch.
- Season lightly.
- Serve the saucy chicken and mushroom Marsala over the zoodles.
- Sprinkle everything with chives and serve.
