Recipes

In the crazy-busy back to school season, I (as a teacher) appreciate quick light meals that I don't have to spend a long time preparing when I get home. If it's one that looks like I have spend hours in the kitchen, well that's a bonus and that's what I love about this dish - mini mushroom galettes featuring sweet cherry tomatoes, sharp Roquefort cheese and walnuts - sounds fancy huh? Well, while these "adult flavour" mini galettes with mushrooms include other ingredients that might not please younger palates, this is a dish that can absolutely be adapted to anyone's tastes - meaning, you can customize each galette depending on what you have on hand and according to everyone's likes/ dislikes - what could be better? And hey, you could always make one large sized galette for everyone to enjoy!

The possibilities for this dish are endless in terms of fillings but one thing's for sure - you'll definitely want mushrooms to be the star!

Ingredients

• 2 sheets/ rolls butter puff pastry *
• 80g Roquefort or other sharp blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 10 medium white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter

* You could, of course make your own pastry

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F F / 200˚C.
2. Roll out pastry dough and using a bowl approximately 14-15cm in diameter, cut out four rounds. Do not force or stretch the dough. Transfer the dough to a baking tray either lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.
3. Place the cheese in the middle of each pastry round, leaving about 2cm around the edge of each round.
4. Sprinkle each pastry round with a tablespoon of the chopped walnuts.
5. Place about 8 mushrooms' worth of slices on top of the walnuts, pressing into the cheese/ walnut mixture.
6. Place 3 cherry tomato halves on each pastry round.
7. Fold over the edges of the dough (making 4-5 folds, one fold at a time) and pressing lightly on the corners to gently seal the galettes.
8. Brush the beaten egg on the dough border. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and the cheese melted.
9. Meanwhile, sauté the remaining mushroom slices in the butter. Drain on a paper towel and set aside until the galettes are cooked.
10. When the galettes are cooked, remove from baking tray to a cooling rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Place the sautéd mushroom slices on each galette and serve warm with a green salad.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serve on a soft ciabatta bun, or between slices of toasted sourdough bread,
brushed with olive oil. 

Makes 8 burgers.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 1 splash white wine or broth
• 6 cup salad greens
• ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette
• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
• ½ cup goal cheese, crumbled

Method

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they release their moisture and it cooks off, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and thyme and sauté until fragrant, about a minute.
5. Add the wine, deglaze the pan and cook the excess moisture off.
6. Assemble the salad and enjoy!

Serves 4

No other mushroom fights off free radicals quite like shiitake mushrooms! This is either a delicious meal for one or a side dish for two. Thankfully my husband hates all Thai-flavoured food so I can eat all of it and I do. Often.

This is a vegetarian/vegan version so everyone can enjoy one of my favourite meals. Enjoy

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup of freshly cooked pasta, your choice which kind
• 1/8 of a brick of firm tofu, cut into 1/2" squares (about 10 pieces)
• 1 cup de-stemmed shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• A little Sriracha hot sauce
• Some toasted nuts and a handful of spinach

Spicy Peanut Sauce

• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• Sriracha hot sauce (as much as you can handle, I just use a dot!)

Method

1. Bring small frying pan to medium heat. Add olive oil.
2. Combine soy sauce with a little tiny bit of Sriracha hot sauce. Gently toss tofu in mixture.
3. Coat tofu in a shallow bowl with cornstarch.
4. Add to hot pan and saute on all sides. The tofu will develop a delicious crust.
5. When tofu is mostly brown, add the shiitake mushrooms for at least five minutes.
6. In serving bowl, combine ingredients for peanut sauce. Whisk together. Will take a while but it will come together.
7. Add in tofu, mushrooms, spinach, nuts and pasta.
8. Stir to combine until everything is nicely coated.

If you prefer to have your spinach cooked, add one minute before the tofu and mushrooms are done to help wilt. To be able to absorb the iron from the spinach, make sure to have with either juice or a smoothie high in vitamin C.

Healthy food never tasted so good!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Polenta

• 2 pounds prepared polenta (in a tube), cut into 8 ½ inch thick rounds
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Ragoût

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) assorted wild mushrooms, such as crimini, oyster, portabella, thickly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, mined
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup low salt chicken broth
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• ⅓ cup whipping cream
• Small handful fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt, pepper to taste
• 1 small tube goat cheese, crumbled

Method

To make polenta, place the slices on a lightly greased broiler safe pan or sheet and broil until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Flip over, sprinkle each slice with parmesan cheese and broil again, until cheese is melted and brown. Watch it carefully! Remove from broiler and set aside.

To make ragoût, heat butter and oil in a frying pan, and over medium heat sauté the mushrooms until tender and browned, stirring often.  Add onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar, cooking another 3 minutes or so.  Stir in chicken broth, thyme, whipping cream and season with salt and pepper.  Let it reduce down a little and thicken, a few more minutes.

Arrange one polenta slice per plate, top with some mushrooms, then another polenta slice, then more mushrooms. Garnish with crumbled goat cheese and more fresh thyme.

Serves 4