Meal Occasion: Winter

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.

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 Haloumi Burger by Leah Itsines

  • 1 Large Portobello or White Flat Mushroom
  • 1 Ciabatta roll (or burger bun of your choice!)
  • ½ brown onion, sliced thinly
  • 2 lettuce leaves, chopped roughly
  • 2 tomato slices, sliced thinly
  • ¼ teaspoon of chilli flakes
  • ½ teaspoon of chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • Sprinkle of Salt & pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon of whole egg mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon of Basil Pesto
  • 60g Haloumi, sliced thinly
  1. Cut the stem of the mushroom and brush any excess soil with a damp cloth.
  2. Into a small bowl, add olive oil, parsley, chilli flakes and a small pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
  3. Using a basting brush, brush olive oil mixture all over the mushroom, make sure it’s all covered!
  4. On a small non-stick pan, heat over a medium heat. Cook mushroom for 4-6 minutes on each side, covering it with a lid to steam.
  5. Whilst this is cooking, on another small non-stick pan, splash a small amount of olive oil and heat on high. Add onions into the pan with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes (or until cooked to your liking!)
  6. Take onion out of the pan and add haloumi. Cook until lightly golden brown on each side.
  7. Toast the bread under the grill for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted.
  8. In a small bowl, add pesto and mayonnaise into a bowl and mix.
  9. It’s time to STACK! On the bottom of the burger bun, smear mayonnaise mixture edge to edge. Add mushroom, onions, haloumi, tomato and lettuce leaves.

Eat as soon as its ready!

Honey Soy Chicken Stir-fry with Mushrooms and Hokkien Noodles

  • 3cm piece of ginger, finely grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 2tbs honey
  • 1/3 cup light salt-reduced soy sauce
  • 1tbs toasted sesame seeds, plus extra to serve
  • 2tbs peanut oil
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 400g chicken breast, thinly sliced
  • 400g cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 red capsicum, chopped
  • 100g snow peas, blanched
  • 440g thin Hokkien noodles
  • Optional: Sliced chilli and salt-reduced soy sauce to serve
  1. Combine ginger, garlic, honey, soy and sesame in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Place noodles in a bowl. Place capsicum and snow peas in a separate bowl. Cover both with boiling water and set aside for 3 minutes. Drain.
  3. Heat half the oil in a wok over high heat. Add onion and mushrooms stirring constantly for 3 minutes until softened and slightly brown. Add snow peas and capsicum, cook for 2 more minutes, then set aside. Reheat the remaining oil until smoking. Add chicken and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often until cooked through. Add soy sauce mixture and leave to bubble for 2 minutes, to thicken slightly.
  4. Return all vegetables and blanched noodles to wok. Toss to coat and sprinkle with extra sesame seeds. Serve with sliced chilli and light soy sauce.

Eat as soon as its ready!

Fast & Fierce Mushroom Pizza

  • 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 300g Greek yoghurt
  • 1 1/2tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1/3 cup Passata sauce
  • 200g pizza cheese
  • 150g white sliced mushrooms
  1. Preheat oven to 220°C Fan Forced.
  2. Place flour, yoghurt, baking powder, 1 tbs of olive oil and 1 tsp salt in a food processor. Pulse until it forms a dough. Place dough on a floured surface and form a ball.
  3. Roll out with a rolling pin to form a 30cm circle. Combine garlic and oil in a small bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Brush some of the oil over the pizza tray. Cover with dough and brush with more oil.
  4. Add Passata sauce to remaining oil, mix and use to coat the dough.
  5. Top with cheese then mushrooms.
  6. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes then, switch the oven to grill and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until golden and the cheese is bubbling.

Slice and serve.

Note: If you don’t want to make a pizza base, you can use a store bought one.