Umami Mushroom Rigatoni.
As we are sure you know by now, NGO Reach for Recovery annually teams up with partners The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association and Pick n Pay to raise funds to support breast cancer survivors through its Power of Pink campaign.
The campaign ran in October (Breast Cancer Awareness month) and the money raised goes to support women who have lost their breasts to save their lives but do not have the financial resources to have breast reconstruction.
Fresh mushrooms have been linked to the fight against breast cancer since 2010 when the Beckman Institute at the City of Hope Cancer Centre in California found that eating just 10g of mushrooms a day more than halved the risk of developing breast cancer. Try these tasty recipes at home.
Umami Mushroom Rigatoni
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 250g rigatoni pasta (or another similar short pasta)
- 4 large portabello mushrooms
- 250g portabellini mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 large bunch of fresh thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- ½ cup crème fraîche
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Method:
Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, scrape out the black gills from the underside of the portabellos with a teaspoon. Cut each portabello in half and then cut each half into four chunky wedges. Slice portabellinis into quarters. Heat oil and butter in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and thyme.
Cook mushrooms, tossing them often until just tender and golden brown. Pour in the soy sauce and cook until absorbed. Turn the heat down. Stir in the crème fraîche, salt, pepper, and a splash of pasta water. Add cooked pasta and toss gently to coat in the mushroom sauce. Keep adding pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, shiny sauce. Serve pasta with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and extra freshly ground black pepper.
Curried Mushroom & Kale Quinoa Bowls
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 red onion, sliced into petals
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp hot curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 200g kale, roughly chopped
- 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter, no sugar added
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 400g white button mushrooms, sliced
- Juice of 1 large lime
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, for serving
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Fresh coriander, for serving
Method:
Heat oil in a large buffet casserole over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and onion. Cook briefly until the onion has just softened. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Cook until fragrant. Add the kale and cook until just wilted. Pour in the coconut milk and add the peanut butter. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add the chickpeas and mushrooms. Stir well. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the mushrooms are cooked but retain some texture and bite. Remove from the heat and squeeze over fresh lime juice. Serve in bowls over freshly cooked quinoa with extra lime wedges and plenty of fresh coriander.
Caprese Mushroom Zoodles
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4-6 large zucchini / marrows
- (if you cannot find large zucchini / marrows use extra baby marrows)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 500g mixed portabellini & baby portabellini mushrooms
- Tomato sauce:
- 1 x 400g tin whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 small red onion, peeled and halved
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 250g smooth ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
For the tomato sauce:
Crush tinned tomatoes with your hands into a medium saucepan. Add the butter, onion halves, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. When the sauce is thick and the flavour has developed, discard the onion and switch off the heat. Using a vegetable peeler, shave zucchini into long, even ribbons. Toss with a pinch of salt in a colander. Let stand until ready to use. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing them often until just tender and golden brown. Season.
To assemble:
Preheat oven grill. In a shallow baking dish spread out the zucchini ribbons. Dollop spoonfuls of tomato sauce over the zoodles. Top with mushrooms and spoonfuls of ricotta. Season well. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and place until the grill for 2-3 minutes. Serve into bowls and scatter with fresh basil leaves.
For more info : www.mushroominfo.co.za
