FOOD, glorious food! It’s open season to indulge in all things delicious and to help and inspire you in the kitchen over the holidays, we’re sharing some of our all-time mushroom favourites!
Portabello & Lemony Ricotta Puff Pastry Tart
Pair this recipe with *Krone RD MCC
Ingredients:
1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
250g smooth ricotta cheese
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1 handful fresh oregano leaves, chopped
6 large portabello mushrooms
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Baby greens / rocket for serving
Method:
Place the sheet of puff pastry on a tray lined with baking paper and score a border 2cm in from the edge all the way round. Prick the pastry centre using a fork. Leave to rest in the fridge for about an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220˚C with an empty baking sheet in it to get hot.
When the oven reaches temperature carefully lift up the puff pastry using the baking paper and place it onto the hot tray. Blind bake the puff pastry sheet until golden brown all over. About 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Press down the centre of the pastry so you are left with a puffy border.
Whisk the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice and oregano together. Season well with salt and pepper.
Spread the mixture into the centre of the tart. Top with portabello mushrooms and season them well. Toss the baby greens in a little olive oil & lemon juice and olive oil and scatter them over the tart before serving.
*R.D. stands for Recently Disgorged. Krone R.D spends many years maturing on the lees which allows exceptional richness and complexity to develop in this wine. The wine is intense and stands up to any robust meal. The lemon in the ricotta plays beautifully with the notes of honey on the palate. Notes of caramel can be experienced on the nose and on the palate which work ever so well with sweet and savoury pairings. The intense umami of the mushrooms is complemented by the bright acidity of the wine and keeps you wanting more of both.
Portabellini & Pea Orecchiette
Pair with *The Blacksmith Bloodline Methode Ancestrale
Serves 4
Ingredients:
350g orecchiette pasta
400g portabellini mushrooms
3 medium leeks, washed and sliced
2 cloves garlic, grated
300g fresh peas
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
250ml cream
Zest of 1 lemon
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated & extra for serving
1 bunch fresh basil
Salt & pepper
1 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Method:
Start a large pot of well salted boiling water for your pasta.
Cook the orecchiette according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water for the sauce. Orecchiette tends to stick together so use a lot of water!
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to brown, season with salt and pepper.
Add the leeks and garlic and sauté until they become tender.
Add peas and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the cream and lemon zest. Simmer and reduce until sauce thickens slightly.
While the sauce simmers- toast the hazelnuts in a hot dry pan until golden and well toasted. Set aside.
Add orecchiette to reduced sauce and stir well to warm through. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce and make it silky.
Remove from heat and stir in grated parmesan.
Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and chilli flakes to taste.
Garnish with toasted hazelnuts and fresh basil.
*This 100% chenin blanc mèthode ancestrale is perfect for a hot summer’s day with a delicate pasta such as this one with hints of lemon and fresh crunchy spring peas. Lots of honey and floral notes on the palate. The wine’s crisp minerality lends a savory quality to the pasta, while the acidity and bubbles lighten it up. The warm, comforting flavours of the mushrooms, cream and parmesan play off the lively crisp bubbles which has a very subtle sweetness when the two are enjoyed together.
Cranberry & Brie Mushroom Bites
*Pair with Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel
Ingredients
18 portabellini mushrooms
1 wedge/wheel of Brie
1 tbsp fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Fresh dill for serving
For the cranberry sauce:
350g frozen cranberries
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
Zest of one orange
Method
Preheat oven to 180˚C.
In a saucepan combine the frozen cranberries, sugar, orange zest and water. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally until all the sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 15 min or until the sauce has thickened and sticks to the back of a spoon.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Place a rack on a baking sheet and spread out the mushrooms. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Spoon a little cranberry sauce into each mushrooms. Cut small chunks of brie and place on top of the sauce. Bake for 5-10 min or until mushrooms are cooked and cheese has melted.
Once cooked scatter each mushrooms bite with fresh dill and serve straight away.
*This wine’s creamy mousse and heady aromas play perfectly with these savoury and sweet mouthfuls. The wine’s nuttiness merges seamlessly with the brie cheese’s own nutty flavour, while its acidity and rich texture bridge the gap between the tart cranberry sauce and the rich and creamy melted brie. This is an elegant Cap Classique for an elegant canapé.
