750g small mushrooms 750g white vinegar 100g sugar or sugar substitute 1kg water 5 bay leaves 10 black peppercorns 2tsp salt 1 head garlic, cloves only, sliced up to 500g extra virgin olive oil
Optional flavourings: 1 long red chili finely sliced ½ red onion, finely diced or 1 orange, rind only, sliced 3 sprigs thyme or 1 lemon, rind only 2 sprigs rosemary
To prepare the mushrooms, remove any dirt with a moist paper towel. Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and garlic to the boil in a medium saucepan.
Place mushrooms into the liquid and boil for up to 20minutes. Mushrooms will float and bob around to begin with and slowly absorb water and sink slightly, decreasing in overall size, and turn glossy and light brown in colour.
Drain well and place in airtight jars with your chosen flavourings, then cover in olive oil.
Refrigerate for best preserve but bring to room temperature before serving.
Serving suggestions • Spoon mushrooms on top of your favourite toast. • Scramble or poach eggs and serve alongside mushrooms for a special Sunday breakfast. • Serve alongside your favourite cheese for a delicious grazing board addition. • Serve as a part of tapas offerings.
Dietary notes • Vegetarian and vegan as is • Dairy free and gluten free as is, and refined sugar free optional.
Prep: 15 mins | Cooking time: 12 mins | Makes: 2 pizzas
300g fresh ricotta
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 250g packets pizza dough (see note)
100g baby potatoes, very thinly sliced
200g brown cup mushrooms, sliced; or brown or white button mushrooms, sliced; or larger mushrooms halved and sliced
Baby rocket leaves, to serve
Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Combine ricotta, parmesan, 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. With oiled hands, spread each pizza dough over 2 greased baking trays. Crumble ricotta mixture over bases. Arrange potato over ricotta. Top with mushroom. Drizzle with remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until base is cooked and mushrooms are golden.
Sprinkle with rocket. Drizzle with extra oil. Serve.
Cook’s note: You can find fresh pizza dough in the refrigerated section, near the fresh pasta. But you can also use a ready-made pizza base from the bakery section of the supermarket.
Prep: 15 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins | Serves: 12
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
200g swiss brown mushrooms, diced;
or 200g white mushrooms, diced
1 red onion, finely chopped
375g cream cheese, softened
½ cup whole-egg mayonnaise
½ cup grated tasty cheese
40g packet French onion soup mix
¼ cup finely chopped chives, plus extra to serve
450g white cob loaf
Vegetable sticks, to serve
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushroom and onion. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until golden and liquid has evaporated.
Reserve 2 tablespoons mushroom mixture. Combine remaining mushroom mixture in a large bowl with cream cheese, mayonnaise, tasty cheese, soup mix and chives. Season with pepper.
Use a serrated knife to cut 4cm from top of cob loaf and reserve. Remove bread from centre of loaf, leaving a 2cm-thick shell. Tear bread pieces into 3cm pieces. Spoon mushroom mixture into shell. Sprinkle with reserved mushroom mixture. Top with lid. Place on prepared tray. Arrange bread pieces around cob. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with extra chives. Serve with vegetable sticks.
Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes or until softened. Add mushroom, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms start to golden. Transfer to a large plate. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to cool.
Meanwhile, place 1 egg, beans and mustard in bowl of small food processor. Process until smooth. Place cooled mushroom mixture in a large bowl. Add bean mixture, breadcrumbs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Place 1/4 of the filling along 1 long side of 1 pastry half. Roll up pastry to enclose filling. Carefully cut into 6 pieces (filling is quite soft). Place, seam-side down, on prepared trays. Repeat with remaining filling and pastry. Lightly beat remaining egg. Brush pastry with egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed. Serve with tomato sauce.
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
200g white button mushroom, halved; or 200g Swiss brown cup mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs to serve
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 large slices sourdough bread, toasted
1 avocado
60g smooth feta
250g packet cocktail truss tomatoes, cut into bunches
1 Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushroom and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 5-8 minutes, or until golden. Add garlic. Cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
2 Meanwhile, roughly mash avocado and feta with a fork. Spread over bread. Spoon over mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with extra thyme. Serve drizzled with extra oil along with tomatoes.
