View posts for » February, 2008

There are certain foods that I detested eating as a child, but now thoroughly enjoy as an adult. Anchovies and olives are two foods that spring to mind — so do mushrooms. But although my appreciation for mushrooms might have been somewhat belated, I’ve been making up for my missed mushroom years and I’m now fascinated with fungi!

What enamors me most about mushrooms is their wonderful earthy flavor, delightful ‘meaty’ texture, and extraordinary versatility. I’m also enchanted by the culinary contradiction that mushrooms are such a prized food in so many cultures, yet they’re not plants (in the sense that they don’t need the sun to survive and grow), they’re actually organisms that live in or on other organisms — in other words, parasites.

Mushrooms have been revered by Mediterranean home cooks for centuries. Italians are well known for their fondness of fungi, and hunting for wild mushrooms is still a common practice in many parts of Italy. To bring out the best in fresh mushrooms, such as porcini or cremini, Italians often pair them with simple ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper — demonstrating, as with most things in life, that simple is best. Mushrooms are also used to enhance the flavor of many classic Italian dishes including pastas and risottos, and they make the perfect topping for pizza and bruschetta.

Spaniards too, have discovered the magic of mushrooms, and they’re enjoyed in dishes ranging from tapas (Champiñones al ajillo, or garlic mushrooms, is a popular tapas dish) to hearty stews and rice dishes.

The French make memorable meals from mushrooms teamed with eggs including mushroom-filled omelets, crepes and quiches, and eat them fresh in salads, cooked in soups and casseroles, or stuffed and baked.

Asian cooks have their own repertoire of mushroom specialties. Fresh and dried mushrooms such as shiitake, enoki and oyster are used whole or sliced in stir-fries, braises, curries and noodle dishes. They’re also enjoyed in soups such as Tom Yam Hed (Thai spicy sour Mushroom soup), and make a great addition to Laksa (Malaysian noodle soup). Sliced mushrooms are also a common addition to the delicate clear soups of Japan, and they’re often added to miso soup for flavor and texture.

Miso soup with mushrooms is a definite favorite in our household too. Sometimes we might just scatter some thinly sliced fresh mushrooms into a bowl of miso soup. Other times we might turn the miso soup into a full meal — such as in the recipe below — by adding soba noodles, grated fresh ginger, bite-size vegetable pieces, and mushrooms. We typically use dried mushrooms (reconstituted in hot water) for this noodle broth, because they have a firmer texture and more full-bodied flavor than fresh mushrooms. But thickly sliced fresh mushrooms (shiitake or button) still work really well.

Mushroom Miso Broth with Soba Noodles

Serves 2

• 7 dried shiitake mushrooms (available at Asian grocery stores)
• 5 1/2 cups dashi stock
• 1 carrot - peeled and sliced thinly on diagonal
• 1 scallion (spring onion) - sliced on diagonal
• 1/2 small eggplant (aubergine) - cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup roughly chopped bok choy
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 1/2 oz (100g) dried soba noodles
• 1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon miso

SOAK the mushrooms in boiling water while you prepare the ingredients. PLACE the stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. ADD the carrot, ginger and soy sauce, and simmer for 2 minutes. ADD the scallion, eggplant, bok choy and noodles and simmer for 3 minutes. DRAIN the reconstituted mushrooms, squeeze the excess moisture from them, slice, and add to the broth. ADD the miso and stir to dissolve without bringing to the boil. SERVE in bowls.

Variation: Silken tofu, cut into small cubes, makes a great addition to this soup.

If this post has put you in the mood for mushrooms, here are some more mushroom recipes (and recipes that include mushrooms as a prominent ingredient) from my website:

Miso Soup with Tofu and Mushroom
Beef and Mushroom Lasagna
Ham, Mushroom and Tomato Pizza
Mushroom, Bacon and Walnut risotto
Champiñones al ajillo
Mushroom Bruschetta
Singapore Noodles
Marinated Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry

It’s winter here in the north of Italy, and nothing is better than a soup in cold weather.

I know some people associate soup, especially vegetable soup, with bad memories, like being sick, or just as a nutritious but untasty meal, yet, nothing could be further from the truth.

This soup was invented by my wife a couple of years ago when I actually fell sick, and it was in summertime, but it was so delicious that I anxiously started to wait for winter to have the proper environment for it.

This soup is extremely easy to do.

Creamy vegetable soup

Ingredients

• 1 big Carrot
• 150 grams of Broccoli
• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 medium Potatoes
• 1 small red Bell Pepper
• 1 small yellow Bell Pepper
• Half an Onion
• Chopped Garlic

Directions

Boil for about 30 minutes in just enough water with salt and a little of extra virgin olive oil. Pass everything through the blender or the food processor, including the cooking water. Serve topped with chives and parsley.

Keep in mind that when you boil vegetables, part of the nutrients dissolve in the water, so if you put too much and have to dump a part of it, you’ll be dumping part of the nutrients as well. It is always better to add more boiling water later, if needed.

Also, there is no magic on the combination on these ingredients, you can change proportions, add a different one or take away one from the list. Just keep in mind that the potato is the one responsible for the creamy texture.

Have fun, and you are totally welcome to leave us your comments and add your picture to the Mediterrasian Flickr Group.

I tend to get pretty lazy at the end of the day, so the last thing I can be bothered doing is cooking an elaborate meal. I think elaborate meals should be saved for elaborate occasions. Simple, but not simplistic, food is what I like the best.

One of the simplest dishes of all is pasta. And one of the simplest, yet most flavorsome ways to enjoy pasta is with fast-roasted vegetables. It’s as easy as tossing some roughly chopped vegetables with olive oil and seasonings and throwing them in the oven, while simultaneously boiling a pot of pasta. Then, when everything is cooked, simply toss the vegetables (which have sweetened and intensified in flavor during the roasting process) with the pasta, and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese. This is set and forget cooking at its best!

And if you want to boost the protein content, you can easily whip open some good quality canned tuna and toss it through the hot vegetables and pasta just before serving. Canned cannellini beans also work really well — just make sure you give them a quick rinse and drain first. And if you want to add some crunch, just sprinkle some lightly toasted pine nuts over the top.

Fast-roasted Vegetable Pasta

Serves 2 generously

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parlsey
• 1 bunch asparagus (or 15 green beans)
• 1/2 red pepper –cut into thick strips
• 1/2 green pepper — cut into thick strips
• 1/2 yellow pepper — cut into thick strips
• 12 button mushrooms-thickly sliced
• 8 oz (240g) dried fettuccine
• Parmesan cheese to serve

PREHEAT the oven to 450F/230C. MIX together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, chili and parsley. TOSS with the vegetables in a baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes. WHILE the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. DRAIN the pasta, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water, and toss gently with the roasted vegetables until well combined. SERVE with a little grated Parmesan cheese.