When one thinks of mushrooms, often what appears in our minds are visions of fairy villages, toads, and Mario Brothers.
But if not the more fantastical side of life; perhaps dimly light forests and wooded areas come to mind. With moist atmospheres filled with trees surrounded with leaf mulches and mushrooms of all shapes, sizes and colours peeking out from every nook and cranny.
Also watch: Mushroom foraging in Cape Town
But did you know that growing mushrooms is not as simple as we might think? Especially commercial farming. It is in fact one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated agricultural industries in the world, requiring detailed knowledge, a high level of management skills, and commitment.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of mushroom growers, industry suppliers, and trade alliances that form part of the South African Mushroom Farmers Association (SAMFA), we are spoiled with the best locally produced and individually hand-picked white button and brown mushrooms that simply take our flavourful dishes to a whole new level.
Whether you’re in the mood for a tasty vegan or vegetarian meal, a quick and convenient brunch snack, or a hearty meal appropriate for any time of the day, mushrooms will always be the answer.
Test out these five recipes – courtesy of SAMFA – and discover that with just a touch of mushroom, you can elevate your meal from delicious to delectable:
SAMFA Mushroom and Goat’s Cheese Frittata Cups
Serves: 12 Frittata cups
Ingredients:
- 12 XL free-range eggs
- 100g soft goat’s cheese/chevin
- 250g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 100g kale, roughly chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180-degrees.
- Lightly spray a 12-cup cupcake tin with non-stick olive oil spray.
- In a large frying pan heat a drizzle of olive oil.
- Fry the onion until soft.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown.
- Add the kale and cook until slightly wilted.
- Season everything well.
- Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and season well with salt and pepper.
- Divide the mushroom mushroom mixture between the cupcake cups.
- Evenly distribute little nuggets of goat’s cheese
- Pour in the whisked eggs.
- Place cupcake tin on a baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until set.
- Let cool slightly, and serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a quick snack or easy lunchbox meal.
Mushroom and Mixed Veg Spiral Pie
Serves: eight
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 28cm loose bottomedloose-bottomed, fluted tart tin
Crust
- 350g flour
- 8g salt
- 150g butter
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 20 to 30ml ice cold water
Filling:
- 250g smooth ricotta cheese
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 40g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp dried herbs
Vegetables
- 8 marrows
- 3 carrots
- 2 eggplants
- 4 large portabello steaks (or the largest brown mushrooms you can find)
Method:
For the crust
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Mix the butter into the flour using your fingertips to make a wet sand.
- Add the eggs and mix with a fork until the dough is just coming together. Don’t overwork the dough.
- Shape into a large disc and cover in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or make it in advance the night before.
- On a well-floured work surface, roll the dough out into an approximate 4mm thick circle.
- Roll up the dough onto your rolling pin.
- Unroll the dough over the 28cm tart tin.
- Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the tart tin. Trim off most of the excess leaving a few millimetres above the rim of the tart tin.
- Prick the base of the dough all over with a fork. Place in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200-degrees.
- Fill the dough-lined tart tin with scrunched upscrunched-up baking paper and baking beans or rice.
- Blind bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and baking paper and return to the oven for another 7 minutes.
- Set the crust aside.
For the filling
- Whisk all the ingredients together and season well. Set aside
For the Vegetables
- Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice the marrow into thin ribbons.
- Toss in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and place in a sieve to degorge.
- Slice the carrots and eggplants into thin ribbons.
- Using a very sharp knife, remove the core and slice the portabello mushrooms into thin strips.
- Trim all the vegetables so that the ribbons and slices are all as close as possible in size so they layer well together
To assemble
- Spread the filling evenly over the blind-baked crust.
- Starting from the outside next to the crust, line the walls of the tart with the veg ribbons, alternating each veg until the entire tin is filled.
- Brush the vegetables with a little olive oil and sprinkle over some salt and pepper.
- Bake at 200-degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until the vegetables are just as tender and cooked through and the tart base is crisp.
- Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Slice into wedges and serve with a fresh green salad or chips.
SAMFA Mushroom and Tinned Salmon Patties
Serves: eight to ten patties
Ingredients
- 500g white button mushrooms
- 1x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2x 170g tins salmon, drained
- 2 XL free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup fresh peas, blanched (or defrosted frozen peas)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup spring onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
- Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until they are very finely chopped.
- In a large saucepan sauté the mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil until they have sweated off most of their water. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients along with the cooled mushrooms. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Separate into equally sized patties
- Pan fry patties using a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan.
- Cook until golden brown on both sides.
- Serve patties with wedges of lemon, on a bun or by itself, accompanied by a side salad, veggies, or chips.
SAMFA Beef and Mushroom Cottage Pies with hidden veg
Serves: eight ramekin dishes
Ingredients:
- 500g floury potatoes, peeled
- 60g butter
- 125 ml cream, heated
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 marrow, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 500 portabello mushrooms
- 500g beef mince
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- In a large pot of salted cold water, add the peeled potatoes.
- Bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and mash immediately while still hot.
- Add the butter while mashing and pour in the warm cream.
- Mash until smooth, taste to adjust seasoning and set aside.
- Use plastic wrap in contact with the mash to prevent it from forming a skin.
- In a large saucepan sauté the onion, carrot, red pepper, marrow and garlic in a drizzle of olive oil until soft. Season.
- Remove the pan and purée the vegetables using a hand blender or food processor. Set aside.
- Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until they are finely chopped.
- In the same pan, sauté the mushrooms in a drizzle of olive oil until they have sweated off most of their water, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Again in the same pan brown the mince in two batches using a little olive oil per batch.
- Lightly sprinkle the flour and Worcestershire sauce over the mince while it is cooking.
- Once browned, add the mushrooms and blended veggies back to the pan along with the tin of tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Preheat grill to 200-degrees
To construct the cottage pies:
- Fill two-thirds of the ramekins with mushroom and mince mixture.
- Fill the top third with mashed potatoes and fluff with a fork.
- Place ramekins onto a baking tray and grill until the tops of the mash are golden brown.
- Server with a side salad.
Umami Mushroom Rigatoni
Serves: four
Ingredients:
- 250g rigatoni pasta (or another similar short pasta)
- 4 large portabello mushrooms
- 250g portabellini mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup crème fraiche
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Method:
- Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water, until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta cooking water and drain pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, scrape out the black gills from the underside of the portabellos with a teaspoon. Cut each portabello in half and then cut each half into four chunky wedges.
- Slice portabellinis into quarters
- Heat oil and butter in a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms and thyme
- Cook mushrooms, tossing them often until just tender and golden brown.
- Pour in the soy sauce and cook until absorbed.
- Turn the heat down
- Stir in the crème fraiche, salt, pepper, and a splash of pasta water.
- Add cooked pasta and toss gently to coat in the mushroom sauce.
- Keep adding paster water as needed to achieve a silky, shiny sauce.
- Serve pasta with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and extra ground black pepper.
For more recipes, info, fun facts and a whole lot more, visit SAMFA’s website.
Also read:
5 soul-warming soup recipes to get you through the rainy weather
Picture: South African Mushroom Farmers Association
