Mushrooms are one of the foods that are set to reign supreme in 2023.
Powering the trend is the continued global shift towards eating more sustainably, according to reports.
Mushrooms are one of those foods that, when cooked and prepared properly, are delicious. They are also rich and savoury, with a hearty texture that can make your meals more substantial.
Versatile mushrooms are not new to the superfood category, but their cult-like status is reaching the masses today.
Not only is the consumption of ordinary mushrooms on the rise, but they are also being found in more and more unexpected places, from mushroom powder to adding punchy flavour to alternative meats. And to start your 2023 with the best of foods, the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association shares below some seriously delicious mushroom recipes that you can try at home.
Cannellini bean, fennel, apple, and roasted mushroom salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bulb fennel, sliced very thinly
1 large stalk of celery, sliced
400g medium portobello mushrooms, quartered
1 tsp garlic powder
150g mixed baby lettuce leaves
2 green apples, sliced thinly
50g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Fennel fronds, for serving
Olive oil, for dressing
Sherry vinegar, for dressing
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Place the cannellini beans, fennel, and celery in a small bowl.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and sherry vinegar.
Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200˚C, fan on.
Place mushrooms on a baking tray.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Roast for ± 7 minutes until tender and juicy, but retain some bite.
Allow the mushrooms to rest.
Once the mushrooms have rested, assemble the salad.
Layer the baby leaves and apples on a serving platter.
Spoon over the marinated bean mixture.
Top with the roasted mushrooms.
Sprinkle with walnuts and fennel fronds. Season lightly.
Drizzle everything with a little extra sherry vinegar and olive oil and serve.
Grilled mushroom, chicken, and papaya salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients
400g portobello mushrooms, sliced thickly
2 small chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh coriander leaves
½ cup fresh mint leaves
1 small papaya, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
4 tbs roasted peanuts, salted, chopped
1 small red chilli, sliced
Dressing
1–2 red chillies (depending on how hot you like them), finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar or palm sugar
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2 tbs olive oil
Olive oil, for cooking
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
For the dressing
In a small bowl combine all the dressing ingredients.
Whisk to mix well.
Taste to adjust seasoning and set aside.
Heat a large griddle pan on high heat.
Toss the mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil and then place them on the griddle pan.
Press them down with a metal spatula to get nice grill marks.
Cook until just tender and retain some bite.
In a large serving bowl combine the chicken, cucumber, coriander, mint, and papaya.
Add the grilled mushrooms.
Drizzle everything with a little dressing and toss gently to combine.
Scatter with the roasted peanuts and sliced chilli.
Serve with extra dressing on the side and enjoy.
Portobello onigirazu
Makes 4 sushi sandwiches
Ingredients
For the rice
400g sushi rice
500ml water
2 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar
160ml rice vinegar
For the filling
1 tbs sesame oil
4 large portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 tbs soy sauce
8 sheets nori
1 large avocado, quartered and sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into fine matchsticks
½ small cucumber, sliced
1 handful of baby spinach leaves
4 tbs pickled ginger
Black sesame seeds, for serving
Soy sauce, for dipping
Method
For the rice
Rinse the sushi rice in a sieve, extremely well, until the water runs clear.
Pour the rinsed rice into a pot with 500ml water.
Place a lid on the pot.
Allow sitting for 30 minutes.
Place rice onto the heat and bring to a boil.
Once rice reaches a boil turn the heat down to the lowest setting.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Switch the heat off and leave the rice, lid on, for a further 15 minutes.
In a small saucepan, combine the salt, sugar, and rice vinegar over low heat.
Once dissolved, pour evenly over the rice and fold very gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
Spread rice out onto a clean tray and let it cool.
For the filling
Heat a large frying pan on high heat.
Add a drizzle of sesame oil and the mushrooms.
Cook until just golden brown and tender.
Pour in the soy sauce and toss to coat.
Set aside.
Prep the rest of the vegetables.
To assemble
Lay a nori sheet (rough side up) on a clean work surface.
With wet fingers to prevent sticking, position ± ½ cup of the cooked rice in the centre of the nori sheet and shape it into a square, at a 45˚ angle to the nori.
Layer the baby spinach, carrot, pickled ginger, avocado, mushrooms, and cucumber.
Put another ± ½ cup layer of rice on top of the filling, and compact it down into a square.
Fold the corners of the nori in to meet the centre of the rice, then wrap it in the plastic wrap tightly and shape it neatly.
Repeat with the remaining rice and fillings.
You should only need one sheet of nori per sushi sandwich; however, if you overfill them just use a piece of another sheet and patch the sandwich until it seals nicely.
Leave each onigirazu wrapped for 10 minutes so the nori softens slightly.
Slice in half and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
Serve with some soy sauce for dipping and enjoy.