This was dinner tonight, blog-worthy because it cooks in just one pot in under half an hour. Tasty and filling, the one-pot reduction makes the sauce beautifully creamy and the stock gives it a nice depth of flavour - a definite winner. It's also a spin on a family classic, which doesn't hurt ;)
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 baby capsicum, diced
1/2 head garlic, crushed
200-250g mushrooms, sliced
olive oil
1 can nutmeat, diced OR g mince
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 500g bottle tomato pasta sauce
2.5c stock (I used vegetable)
oregano
basil
garlic salt
400g pasta (I used farfelle/bows)
splash of chili oil (to taste)
Saute the onion, capsicum, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil until soft. Add the nutmeat/mince and fry until browned. Add crushed tomatoes and pasta sauce; stir to combine. Add stock, season to taste with oregano, basil and garlic salt. Bring to the boil. Add pasta and simmer until cooked (10-15 mins). Stir more frequently as sauce reduces to avoid sticking. Add a splash of chili oil to taste.
Serve with green peas and parmesan. YUM.
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Monday, August 8, 2011
Unstuffed Mini Capsicums
Yes, that's right, unstuffed. Because I was lazy ;) :D
Anyway, this came about because the vast majority of my family went shopping together on the weekend at the newly-arrived-and-therefore-exciting (sigh) Costco. Amidst all the kerfuffle, a large box of baby red capsicums (bell peppers :P) were purchased and split up between us. Hence the txt message I received from Mum this afternoon, detailing the delicious feta-and-spinach-stuffed capsicums they'd had for dinner last night.
Plagued by pregnancy cravings and sickness, stuffed capsicums sounded like just the thing for tonight's dinner - only I couldn't be bothered making the stuffing, then stuffing the capsicums, and then baking it all again. Hence, unstuffed capsicums O:) :D
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
300g mushrooms, thinly sliced
olive oil
1.2c long grain rice
2.5c vegetable stock
12 baby red capsicums
sweet chilli sauce
soy sauce
salt
tarragon
100g cream cheese, cubed
baby spinach, to serve
Method
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add mushrooms; stir until reduced. Add rice; stir for 1 minute to coat thoroughly. Add stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer with a TIGHT lid for 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN, or you'll lose all the precious steam. If through a tragedy not of your making, the lid gets lifted (hi there, curious meal-eaters *glare*), add some more hot water to compensate. You're basically just making a pilaf, here.
Meanwhile, deseed the capsicums (reserving a 'lid' for each) and rinse them. Shake them dry, though not too dry, and replace 'lids'. The lids help preserve the moisture so they become tender, rather than drying out. Bake in a 200C oven for 15 minutes.
Once 20 mins is up for the rice, turn off the heat and give it a good stir. If, like me, you're unlucky and some stuck to the bottom, transfer to a new pot to avoid contaminating the good stuff with anything burnt. Season with sauces, salt and tarragon to taste, then stir through cream cheese.
Plate up, and enjoy :o)
Anyway, this came about because the vast majority of my family went shopping together on the weekend at the newly-arrived-and-therefore-exciting (sigh) Costco. Amidst all the kerfuffle, a large box of baby red capsicums (bell peppers :P) were purchased and split up between us. Hence the txt message I received from Mum this afternoon, detailing the delicious feta-and-spinach-stuffed capsicums they'd had for dinner last night.
Plagued by pregnancy cravings and sickness, stuffed capsicums sounded like just the thing for tonight's dinner - only I couldn't be bothered making the stuffing, then stuffing the capsicums, and then baking it all again. Hence, unstuffed capsicums O:) :D
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
300g mushrooms, thinly sliced
olive oil
1.2c long grain rice
2.5c vegetable stock
12 baby red capsicums
sweet chilli sauce
soy sauce
salt
tarragon
100g cream cheese, cubed
baby spinach, to serve
Method
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add mushrooms; stir until reduced. Add rice; stir for 1 minute to coat thoroughly. Add stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer with a TIGHT lid for 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN, or you'll lose all the precious steam. If through a tragedy not of your making, the lid gets lifted (hi there, curious meal-eaters *glare*), add some more hot water to compensate. You're basically just making a pilaf, here.
Meanwhile, deseed the capsicums (reserving a 'lid' for each) and rinse them. Shake them dry, though not too dry, and replace 'lids'. The lids help preserve the moisture so they become tender, rather than drying out. Bake in a 200C oven for 15 minutes.
Once 20 mins is up for the rice, turn off the heat and give it a good stir. If, like me, you're unlucky and some stuck to the bottom, transfer to a new pot to avoid contaminating the good stuff with anything burnt. Season with sauces, salt and tarragon to taste, then stir through cream cheese.
Plate up, and enjoy :o)
Friday, July 2, 2010
Mashed Potato-Stuffed Mushrooms
Serves 2
2 large flat mushrooms - clean them.
2 extra large potatoes - microwave and mash w butter & milk & salt.
Add 1/4c parmesan and season with chives, tarragon, dill, cajun, sage, oregano & 1T tomato sauce.
Drizzle with 1T honey & sweet chilli mixed into olive oil.
Bake at 170C for 25 mins.
Serve over baby spinach and eat!
2 extra large potatoes - microwave and mash w butter & milk & salt.
Add 1/4c parmesan and season with chives, tarragon, dill, cajun, sage, oregano & 1T tomato sauce.
Drizzle with 1T honey & sweet chilli mixed into olive oil.
Bake at 170C for 25 mins.
Serve over baby spinach and eat!
Friday, June 25, 2010
French-Inspired Mushroom Soup
I invented this recipe a year or so ago after I watched an episode of Masterchef. They mentioned on the show that the classic flavours of French food were butter, cream, thyme and I think lemon - so when I went to make mushroom soup for dinner that night, knowing we had some beautiful lemon thyme growing in the garden, I decided to see if I could make a soup that reflected these flavours.
The Recipe
About 50g butter
1 smallish white or brown onion
1 heaped teaspoon crushed garlic
400-600g mushrooms (I used 400g; the fresher the better)
Salt (¼t?)
3/16 c plain flour (hehe. The original recipe called for ¼ cup, but because I added the soup mix I reduced the flour by ¼)
2/3 packet of mushroom powdered soup mix (this is like, 3T maybe?)
4c chicken stock
2 2-inch sprigs of lemon thyme
½ - 2/3c milk
About 100g sour cream or regular pouring cream
2t chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ - ½ t dried tarragon
Melt butter in saucepan. Sauté garlic and onion until clear, but not caramelised. Add mushrooms, cook stirring until reduced (~7mins?). Add salt to taste. Add flour and soup mix. Cook for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly. Add first 1.5 cups of stock slowly so flour doesn’t clump. Add rest of stock. Throw in thyme sprigs. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Optionally, let soup cool and process to desired consistency (I prefer not to process this soup). Add milk and sour cream. Heat until cream is melted. Add herbs. Serve hot with crusty bread.
The Results
Is this soup a successful reflection of the key French flavours? I absolutely think so. It's warm and satisfying due to the cream and butter, but light and delicate at the same time because of the lemon. Because it's quite rich, I wouldn't make it every week, but this is definitely a grand soup for special occasions B-)
The Recipe
About 50g butter
1 smallish white or brown onion
1 heaped teaspoon crushed garlic
400-600g mushrooms (I used 400g; the fresher the better)
Salt (¼t?)
3/16 c plain flour (hehe. The original recipe called for ¼ cup, but because I added the soup mix I reduced the flour by ¼)
2/3 packet of mushroom powdered soup mix (this is like, 3T maybe?)
4c chicken stock
2 2-inch sprigs of lemon thyme
½ - 2/3c milk
About 100g sour cream or regular pouring cream
2t chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ - ½ t dried tarragon
Melt butter in saucepan. Sauté garlic and onion until clear, but not caramelised. Add mushrooms, cook stirring until reduced (~7mins?). Add salt to taste. Add flour and soup mix. Cook for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly. Add first 1.5 cups of stock slowly so flour doesn’t clump. Add rest of stock. Throw in thyme sprigs. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Optionally, let soup cool and process to desired consistency (I prefer not to process this soup). Add milk and sour cream. Heat until cream is melted. Add herbs. Serve hot with crusty bread.
The Results
Is this soup a successful reflection of the key French flavours? I absolutely think so. It's warm and satisfying due to the cream and butter, but light and delicate at the same time because of the lemon. Because it's quite rich, I wouldn't make it every week, but this is definitely a grand soup for special occasions B-)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Quick and Easy Vegetable Lasagna
Serves 8ish
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 good sized zucchini (courgette)
8-10 small cup mushrooms (2-3 inches across), rinsed
1 large carrot
1/2 butternut pumpkin (butternut squash)
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 block feta
1/3c tomato sauce
grated cheese, to top
lasagna sheets
Preheat oven to 210C. Peel and dice butternut and microwave on high for ten minutes. Fry garlic until golden. Dice the zucchini and mushrooms. Add to pan and saute until nearly cooked through. Grate in the carrot. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, and heat through.
In a baking dish, spread half the tomato mixture. Put over a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover with butternut; mash down slightly if necessary. Crumble feta over top. Place another layer of lasagna sheets, and top with the remaining tomato mixture. Top with grated cheese and bake for about 20-30 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Let sit for five mins before slicing in order to prevent it from falling apart so much when serving :)
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 good sized zucchini (courgette)
8-10 small cup mushrooms (2-3 inches across), rinsed
1 large carrot
1/2 butternut pumpkin (butternut squash)
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 block feta
1/3c tomato sauce
grated cheese, to top
lasagna sheets
Preheat oven to 210C. Peel and dice butternut and microwave on high for ten minutes. Fry garlic until golden. Dice the zucchini and mushrooms. Add to pan and saute until nearly cooked through. Grate in the carrot. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, and heat through.
In a baking dish, spread half the tomato mixture. Put over a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover with butternut; mash down slightly if necessary. Crumble feta over top. Place another layer of lasagna sheets, and top with the remaining tomato mixture. Top with grated cheese and bake for about 20-30 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Let sit for five mins before slicing in order to prevent it from falling apart so much when serving :)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Butter-based Mushroom/Capsicum/Baby Spinach Pasta Sauce
I got home at nearly half past nine tonight craving something tasty and wanting more than anything to crash into bed. I'd already planned to make pasta, and lacking a brain to think of a satisfying alternative, pasta is what I went with.
What I didn't expect was for it to be SO INSANELY TASTY!!
So. Recipe. Be warned: this is not a skinny recipe :D
Serves 3.
About 100g of butter
About 2t fresh majoram
8 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 small red capsicum (pepper), diced
Tarragon
Almost 1/4 carton sour cream (er, 100g??)
Nearly 1 block feta cheese (250g?)
1 handful baby spinach/rocket mix
Cook sufficient pasta according to directions. Melt butter in a saucepan with majoram. Add mushrooms and capsicum. Saute until mushies are nearly cooked then add tarragon and salt to taste (4 grinds). Add sour cream and melt. Add feta; stir through until heated. Add spinach/rocket and stir through until just wilted.
Serve with a few fresh leaves on top and a sprinkling of parmesan.
Yum!
What I didn't expect was for it to be SO INSANELY TASTY!!
So. Recipe. Be warned: this is not a skinny recipe :D
Serves 3.
About 100g of butter
About 2t fresh majoram
8 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 small red capsicum (pepper), diced
Tarragon
Almost 1/4 carton sour cream (er, 100g??)
Nearly 1 block feta cheese (250g?)
1 handful baby spinach/rocket mix
Cook sufficient pasta according to directions. Melt butter in a saucepan with majoram. Add mushrooms and capsicum. Saute until mushies are nearly cooked then add tarragon and salt to taste (4 grinds). Add sour cream and melt. Add feta; stir through until heated. Add spinach/rocket and stir through until just wilted.
Serve with a few fresh leaves on top and a sprinkling of parmesan.
Yum!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Pesto and Pumpkin Seed Pasta
Tonight I had a fantastic reminder that good food, tasty food, needn't necessarily be slow food. The last few months I've been in a cooking slump; I'm not interested, I'm not motivated, I don't want to think about what to cook, and I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen.
However, after a week away with decidedly average cooking, and a day in which 10-12 years olds participated in a My Kitchen Rules style cooking challenge and TOTALLY ROCKED (dude, twelve year olds who know how to make risotto and truffles? HEAVEN!), I knew tonight I needed to eat Good Food.
We went shopping last night, so we had fresh mushrooms, a new bottle of basil pesto, and for the first time, some roasted pumpkin seeds. Liana uses these as snack material, so I decided to give them a try. They're great, but this particular brand is a little too salty for my liking - hence, cooking with them!
The Recipe - serves 2
2 large cloves garlic
olive oil
about 10 smallish mushrooms, sliced
2 rings of red capsicum/pepper, diced
1 tablespoon chopped pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons basil pesto
100g sour cream
2 small handfuls shredded baby spinach
Grated parmesan, for garnishing
Crush garlic. Fry in oil until golden. Add mushrooms. When partially sauted, add capsicum and seeds. When mushrooms are fully cooked, add pesto and sour cream. Stir through until heated. Serve over hot pasta and top with shredded baby spinach and parmesan.
Mmm.
See? Good food. Pretty tasty food. And it wasn't complicated to prepare. Woo hoo!
However, after a week away with decidedly average cooking, and a day in which 10-12 years olds participated in a My Kitchen Rules style cooking challenge and TOTALLY ROCKED (dude, twelve year olds who know how to make risotto and truffles? HEAVEN!), I knew tonight I needed to eat Good Food.
We went shopping last night, so we had fresh mushrooms, a new bottle of basil pesto, and for the first time, some roasted pumpkin seeds. Liana uses these as snack material, so I decided to give them a try. They're great, but this particular brand is a little too salty for my liking - hence, cooking with them!
The Recipe - serves 2
olive oil
about 10 smallish mushrooms, sliced
2 rings of red capsicum/pepper, diced
1 tablespoon chopped pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons basil pesto
100g sour cream
2 small handfuls shredded baby spinach
Grated parmesan, for garnishing
Crush garlic. Fry in oil until golden. Add mushrooms. When partially sauted, add capsicum and seeds. When mushrooms are fully cooked, add pesto and sour cream. Stir through until heated. Serve over hot pasta and top with shredded baby spinach and parmesan.
Mmm.
See? Good food. Pretty tasty food. And it wasn't complicated to prepare. Woo hoo!
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