Recipes

Hi, I’m Mardi, author of the blog eat. live. travel. write. and I am honoured to be contributing the official PINK recipe for 2013. This year, I’ve updated a dish that always makes me feel a little nostalgic – tomates farcies. What's that you ask?

Well, when I was an exchange student living in Belgium, one of my host mothers' specialties was tomatoes stuffed with a delicious mix of pork and beef mince and baked until tender – so tasty and warming on a cold winters' day. This recipe is a meatless version of this dish, with mushrooms as the star and works well in the warmer weather too. It's also quick and easy to prepare and very versatile – I’ve included the vegetables I usually use with this, although you could just use what's on hand.

A simple, versatile dish that brings back great memories to my dinner table – what could be better?

Ingredients (serves 4*)

• 4 medium-large tomatoes
• 4 teaspoons table salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups mixed fresh mushrooms (e.g. a mix using 2-3 varieties - white button, crimini, portabella, shiitake, enoki, oyster or king oyster), diced
• ½ large zucchini, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or mixed herbs (eg: oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary)
• ½ cup cooked pearl barley or wheat berries
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• salt and pepper, to taste
• olive oil, for drizzling
• Optional: fresh herbs for serving

*depending on the size of your tomatoes, this may make enough filling for more than 4

Method

1. Heat oven to 375F.
2. Slice the tops off the tomatoes, reserve these as "lids."
3. Scoop out the flesh and juice of the tomatoes into a bowl and mash until pulpy. Set aside.
4. Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with the salt and turn upside down on a paper towel to drain excess juice. Set aside.
5. Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms, zucchini and herbes de Provence until "al dente" (you’re going to cook this mixture again in the oven so you don’t want to overcook at this point).
6. Add the reserved tomato flesh and the pearl barley/ wheat berries and stir to thoroughly combine.
7. Add the egg and Parmesan, stir well and remove from the heat.
8. Season to taste.
9. Rinse the salt out of the tomato halves and pat dry with a paper towel.
10. Fill the tomato halves with the mushroom mixture – packing tightly by pressing on the mixture with the back of a soup spoon.
11. Place the tomato halves on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
12. Place the tomato tops on each tomato, sprinkle with a little olive oil and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes until the filling is hot and the tomato flesh is slightly softened.
13. Optional: you can remove the tops from the tomatoes and sprinkle with some fresh herbs, replacing the tops to serve.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 pieces of bacon, sliced into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 lb white button mushrooms, sliced
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup 15% cream
• 1 package of fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions

Method

1. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bacon, sauté for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, cook for another minute or until fragrant.
3. Next, add butter, mushrooms, and fresh thyme. Sauce for 3 minutes or until mushrooms begin to cook down.
4. Finally, add the white wine, cooking for 3-5 minutes, then add the cream and simmer for 2-4 minutes or until sauce has thickened up.
5. Remove sprigs of thyme and serve over pasta.

Ingredients

• 1lb wild mushrooms (porcini, cremini, oyster, shiitake etc)
• 3/4 pound fettuccine
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp fresh Italian/flat-leaf parsley, rough chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• sea salt & fresh ground pepper
• extra Parmesan to serve (optional)
• extra parsley to serve (optional)

Method

1. Bring a large pot of generously-salted (very important as this dish is so simple) water to a boil and cook pasta to just under al dente according to package instructions. If the package says 9 minutes, take out around 7. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before straining.
2. In a dry, heavy-bottom skillet set over medium-high heat, brown mushrooms in batches until golden and crisp. I browned each variety of mushroom on its own as they may have different moisture levels. It should take about 6-7 minutes per batch to get them nice and golden - don't rush this part. It's the big flavour maker!
3. Once all your mushrooms have been browned, remove everything from the pan. Add the butter and olive oil to pan and let it get shimmering and hot. Add the garlic and let it cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, parsley and red pepper flakes and sauté until everything is combined, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Strain pasta (don't forget to reserve 1 cup starchy water), and add back to large pot. Scoop the mushroom mixture into the pasta, making sure to really scrape all the good bits from the pan, with the Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of starch water and toss. If it's too dry, add more water a little at a time until you've got a nice, loose mushroom sauce coating all the noodles. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
5. Garnish each serving with pine nuts, extra cheese, parsley and fresh ground pepper.

Being mad obsessed with all things Mexican as of late, what better way to showcase some mushrooms than sandwiched between two tortillas. Bursting with seasoned mushrooms and gooey cheese then smothered in a zesty lime cream, these quesadillas may just have you jumping on board with Meatless Monday.

Makes: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 200 g mushrooms (oyster, crimini, button & shitake), sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• pinch salt and pepper
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped plus more to garnish
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 8 corn tortillas
• 4 lime wedges
• 2 green onions, sliced

Lime Crema

• ½ cup sour cream
• zest of ½ lime
• squeeze lime juice

Method

1. Prepare lime crema by combining all ingredients. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions til starting to become translucent, about 3 min. Add mushrooms, jalapeno, and garlic. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook til mushrooms release juices then start to brown, about 5 min. Add cilantro. Remove from heat.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add a tortilla. layer with ¼ cup Monterey Jack, ¼ of the mushrooms, 1 tablespoon Feta, then another ¼ cup Monterey jack cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Cook until crisp and browned on both sides.
4. Slice and serve with lime crema, green onions. cilantro, and salsa of choice. If desired amp up the heat by replacing jalapeno with a hotter variety or serving with a hot salsa.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Arborio Rice
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup crimini mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3-4 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup Pecorino cheese, shredded
• Sea salt, to taste

Frying

• 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
• 15-20 ½-inch cubes mozzarella cheese
• Canola oil, for frying

Method

To make risotto:

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for several minutes until translucent.

Add in uncooked Arborio rice and stir, allowing butter and oil to completely coat the rice. Sauté for a couple minutes or until rice begins to release a nutty aroma. Add white wine and stir until the rice has completely absorbed the liquid. Add the mushrooms and a cup of hot broth, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed. Continue this process until the rice takes on a creamy consistency and the starches begin to release. Rice should be al dente; tender, but firm to the bite. Add butter, cheese, and salt; stir until melted. Refrigerate risotto for several hours or overnight for best results.

To make risotto balls:

With dampened hands, form risotto into 1 or 2 inch balls, depending how large you would like them. Stuff a cube of mozzarella inside, squeeze firmly, and then roll in breadcrumbs.

In a deep saucepan, fill pan with enough canola oil to cover risotto balls and heat to 365ºF. Place balls into hot oil, two at a time, frying until they turn golden brown and cooked throughout – about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm with a side of marinara sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced (ie. cremini, shiitake, oyster, etc)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp dry sherry or white wine
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Finely chopped parsley, for garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly butter four large oven-safe ramekins, and arrange on a baking sheet.
2. In a large saute pan set over medium-high heat, sauté the mushrooms in butter until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and thyme, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until most of the sherry has evaporated. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms into the prepared ramekins, dividing evenly, then gently crack an egg into each one. Top with 1 tbsp cream and 1 tbsp grated Parmesan.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the egg whites are set and the yolks are done to your liking, about 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and thick slices of toast for dunking.

I nearly failed mushroom growing 101, despite using a kit designed for kids. After an impressively strong start, I neglected the project and returned to find, dried, leathery mushrooms where large, soft, ruffled ones once grew. Out of desperation, I rehydrated them. They sprung back to life. I was so excited by the resurrected crop, I created an open-air version of mushroom ravioli to celebrate. Not only does this unsealed approach make the ravioli easy to prepare, you get a higher mushroom-to-pasta ratio than with the traditional form, which is yet another reason for celebration.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 large sage leaves, whole (8 small is fine, too)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms (about 1/4-inch thick)
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed (lemon thyme is lovely if you grow it)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream (35%)
• 8 sheets pasta sheets, fresh is best but dried will do (about 4 inches square)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Method

1. Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil for the pasta.
2. In a shallow skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the sage leaves. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns brown and smells like toasted almonds. The sage should become crisp but not burned. Remove skillet from the heat. Place the sage leaves on a couple layers of paper towel to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the browned butter for later.
3. Return skillet to medium heat. Sautée the garlic in the browned sage butter until it becomes soft. Add the mushrooms and increase the heat to medium-high, adding a pinch of sea salt and a generous grinding of fresh black pepper. Cook the mushrooms until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme and cream, and cook until the cream has thickened a bit, about 2 minutes. Keep warm on low while you tend to the pasta.
4. When the water reaches a full, rolling boil, cook the pasta to the al dente stage. Timing varies depending on whether you are using fresh or dried pasta. Drain the pasta being careful not to tear it. Torn sheets can be used as the bottom layer, so don't tell anyone if a sheet or two rips a bit.
5. Set out four plates and place one sheet of pasta in the middle of each. Spoon 1/4 of the mushroom mixture on eat sheet of pasta and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Parmesan. Top with a second sheet of pasta. Drizzle with some of the browned butter. Garnish with a fried sage leaf. A dusting of more freshly ground pepper is nice, but not necessary. Serve immediately.