Meal Occasion: Lunch

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

  • 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 12 Portabella Mushrooms
  • 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 120g goat’s cheese
  • 1 cup small basil leaves
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C Combine the oil with the garlic, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture over the mushrooms on an oven tray lined with lightly greased foil.
  2. Roast mushrooms for 5 minutes, then top with the tomatoes and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
  3. Turn the grill onto high. Crumble over the goats’ cheese and place under the grill for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes and goats’ cheese is lightly golden.
  4. Remove from the oven. Scatter with the basil leaves and drizzle with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Portobello Mushroom Baked Egg

  • 4 Portabella mushrooms, stems removed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • Cocktail Truss tomatoes Roasted served with toast
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced.
  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  3. Add mushrooms & cocktail truss to tray, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.
  4. Cook mushrooms for 10 minutes or until slightly browned and cooked through.
  5. Remove and set aside the cocktail truss.
  6. Crack eggs into the centre of each mushroom.
  7. Return mushrooms to the oven for 10 minutes or until egg whites are cooked through.
  8. Salt & pepper to taste
  9. Serve with crusty toast

Pappardelle with Mushroom Sauce

  • 400g pappardelle pasta
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 long red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
  • 1 long green chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
  • 400g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 300ml thickened cream (see tip)
  • 2 eggs
  • 50g parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  1. Cook pappardelle in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and chilli and cook 2 minutes until soft. Increase heat to high, add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
  3. Drain pappardelle and return to the hot saucepan, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water. Whisk the cream, eggs and reserved pasta water in a jug with a fork until well combined, then add to the hot pasta with the mushrooms and half the parmesan.
  4. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Toss pasta for 1 minute or until egg begins to set. Remove from heat. Add parsley, season with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls, serve topped with remaining parmesan.

Pancetta Pasta with Mushrooms

  • 400g spaghetti
  • 200g thinly sliced pancetta, shredded
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500g cup mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 60g parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  1. Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, according to packet directions, until al dente.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until pancetta is crisp. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  3. Add 2 tbs oil to the frying pan and heat over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook 4 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms, increase heat to high and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and golden. Set pan aside.
  4. Drain spaghetti and return to the hot saucepan. Add pancetta, mushrooms and remaining oil. Toss gently over low heat for 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and half the parmesan, season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine.
  5. Spoon into serving bowls, top with remaining parmesan and serve immediately.

Mushroom, Zucchini and Bacon Family Frittata

  • 2 bacon rashers, rind removed, coarsely chopped
  • 20g butter
  • 250g Button Mushrooms, halved or larger ones quartered
  • 1 cup parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 50g parmesan, finely grated
  • 8 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 zucchinis, coarsely grated or shredded
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  1. Heat a 22cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Cook the bacon for 3 minutes or until golden, then remove and set aside and reduce heat to medium-high. Melt the butter in the pan. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes or until golden, tossing the pan regularly. Remove and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, stir most of the parsley and parmesan through the eggs, reserving some to serve. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, then top with the bacon, mushrooms and zucchini. Cook the frittata for 4 minutes or until golden on the base.
  4. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high. Grill the frittata for 5 minutes or until golden. Scatter with the remaining parsley and parmesan to serve.

Mushroom & Haloumi Salad

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 large lemon, juiced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tsp dried Greek oregano
  • 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
  • 400g haloumi, drained, sliced (see tip)
  • 375g cup mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 2/3 cup semi-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 100g baby spinach leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil & crusty bread barbecued, to serve
  1. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, chilli and salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Use a little of the marinade to brush over both sides of the haloumi.
  2. Add the mushrooms to the remaining marinade and stir to coat all the mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate both the mushrooms and haloumi for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat a greased barbecue plate on medium-high. Barbecue the mushrooms for 5 minutes, turning occasionally until just tender. Remove to a large bowl.
  4. Barbecue the haloumi for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden and warmed through. Add to the warm mushrooms.
  5. Add the tomatoes and spinach to the mushrooms and cheese, toss gently to combine.
  6. Arrange on serving plates, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve with barbecued bread.