Meal Occasion: All day

Mushroom, Tomato & Avocado Salad

  • 200g button or cup mushrooms, halved
  •  15cm piece Turkish bread, split
  •  Olive oil cooking spray
  • 2 large ripe avocados, halved, stone removed
  • 500g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 lebanese cucumbers, halved, deseeded, sliced
  • 1 cup small basil leaves

Dressing
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 2 tbs mirin or sweet sherry
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  1. To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar with salt and pepper. Shake well to combine. Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Pour over two-thirds of the dressing, stir to coat. Cover and set aside 30 minutes until mushrooms have absorbed the dressing.
  2. Preheat oven 220C. Cut turkish bread into 1cm cubes. Place onto a baking tray. Spray both sides of bread with olive oil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
  3. Dice the avocados. Add to the mushrooms with the tomatoes, cucumber, basil and toasted turkish bread. Pour over the remaining dressing, toss gently. Serve immediately.

Cooks tip – This is great as a side dish or add 1kg cooked peeled prawns and serve as a main.

Oven-Roasted Mushrooms

  • 8 medium flat mushrooms
  • stalks trimmed
  • 40g baby spinach leaves
  • 100g Persian or marinated feta, drained, crumbled
  • 2 tbs fresh thyme leaves
  • Mashed potatoes, to serve
  • Balsamic dressing
  • 1⁄4 cup honey
  • 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 1⁄3 cup olive oil
  1. To make balsamic dressing, combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar. Microwave uncovered on High for 20 seconds or until honey is melted. Secure lid. Shake to combine.
  2. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Place mushrooms, stem-side down, in a single layer (they might overlap slightly) in a large baking dish. Pour over half the balsamic dressing. Turn mushrooms and drizzle with remaining dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Arrange spinach leaves over mushrooms. Sprinkle with feta and thyme leaves. Roast for 20 minutes or until mushrooms are just tender.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

Spaghetti Mushroom Carbonara

  • 400g dried spaghetti
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 4 bacon rashers, rind removed and thinly sliced
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 400g of cup mushrooms, sliced or diced
  • 3 eggs
  • 50g parmesan, finely grated
  • salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  1. Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, following packet directions, until al dente or cooked to your liking.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and onion and cook, stirring often for approximately 4 minutes or until light golden. Add mushrooms and simmer for a further 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
  3. Drain spaghetti and return to saucepan. Whisk eggs in a small bowl with a fork. Add eggs, mushroom mixture, parmesan and salt and pepper to spaghetti and toss until well combined. Place saucepan over medium heat and toss for 1 minute or until egg mixture has just set. Serve immediately.

Mushrooms and Sweet Onion Steak Sandwich

  • 3 brown onions, halved, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 200g sliced swiss brown or white cup mushrooms
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 4-minute steaks
  • 1 loaf Turkish bread, cut into squares
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • whole egg mayonnaise or aioli
  • 50g snow pea sprouts
  1. Place the onions in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes on High/100% until tender. Spoon 2 tsp oil over the mushrooms. Preheat barbecue plate and barbecue grill on high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a bowl, set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Combine 2 tbs oil, hot onions and honey and spoon onto the barbecue plate. Cook, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes or until onions are golden. Stir into mushrooms.
  3. Season steak with salt and pepper and brush both sides with remaining oil. Barbecue the steaks for 1 minute on each side for medium or until cooked to your liking.
  4. Meanwhile split the Turkish bread in half and spray both sides with oil. Barbecue on grill for 2-3 minutes each side or until toasted.
  5. Spread toasted bread base with mayonnaise or aioli. Top with snow peas, steak and mushroom & onion mixture. Top with remaining bread.

BOOM!

Sweet Soy Mushroom & Spinach Salad

  • 600g cup mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 100g baby spinach leaves
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
  • sweet soy dressing
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 2 tbs mirin
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 1/4 cup light olive oil
  1. Preheat a greased barbecue plate on high heat. Place mushrooms in a large bowl and spray generously with oil, tossing to coat.
  2. Barbecue mushrooms, tossing occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until golden. Transfer to a large bowl.
  3. To make sweet soy dressing, combine ingredients in a screw-top jar. Shake to combine. Drizzle dressing over mushrooms and gently toss to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes or until cooled.
  4. Add spinach, green onions and sesame seeds to mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Freekeh Salad with Baked Flat Mushrooms

  • 2/3 cup freekeh, rinsed
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large flat mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 100 g Perino tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
  • 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup sultanas, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 70 g goats’ cheese or fetta
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place the freekeh, water and salt into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Refresh under cold water. Drain well and place into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the mushrooms onto prepared tray. Sprinkle with the garlic and thyme. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender.

Meanwhile; add the tomatoes, onion, mint, parsley, sultanas, lemon juice and remaining oil to the freekeh. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange salad onto a large platter. Dollop over goats’ cheese, scatter over the pomegranate and mint leaves. Top with the baked mushrooms.