Mushrooms!

Mushrooms tick so many boxes when it comes to nutrition and health. And now another ticked box for being a trendy crunchy snack.

Food trends for this year clearly show climate concerns, sustainability issues, food safety and personal wellness, as well, obviously, as quality, with consumers looking for ingredients with features such as health benefits, nutrition, freshness and shelf life, and naturalness. And those selecting to follow a plant based diet want choices that are less processed, more natural, have better taste and texture, offer health benefits, and support  the environment.

Mushrooms tick all these boxes, and more. They’re hugely nutritious, boasting robust amounts of antioxidants, selenium, riboflavin and vitamin D, and with fresh mushrooms being the only significant source of plant-based vitamin D! Fungi are also low in sodium and contain both fibre and plant protein.

Fresh mushroom varieties like big browns, which are readily available in every supermarket, are perfect meat substitutes – without having to really change your favourite recipes as the meaty texture and rich flavour of mushrooms make the swap seamless.

Another trend that mushrooms are leaning into is the crunch … listed as the texture of the moment for 2025. Think crispy grains, crunchy granola, roasted chickpeas, mushroom chips … all added to dishes give that extra texture we love.

So dehydrators plugged in, or ovens set to low … mushrooms are moving into crispy, crunchy territory, and we’re on board for the experience!

Alternatively, you can explore crunch in other, less time-consuming ways, like rustling up a batch of mushroom popcorn … great for snacking and sprinkling over other foods to get that crisp finishing texture.

Details: mushroominfo.co.za

MUSHROOM POPCORN
This mushroom popcorn is great for snacking or for sprinkling over other foods to get that crisp finishing texture.

Ingredients:
300g baby button mushrooms; ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs; ½ cup biltong dust; 1 cup plain popcorn; 1 tsp chilli flakes; ½ lemon, zested; 1 Tbsp sesame seeds; 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce; 2 Tbsp soy sauce; olive oil for frying

1. Method:
   Blitz the popcorn in a food processor until you’ve made chunky crumbs.
2. Mix the panko, popcorn crumbs, biltong dust, chilli flakes, sesame seeds and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. In a non-stick frying pan add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the mushrooms until they release their water and begin to brown. Add the soy sauce and hoisin and roll them around to glaze each one. Allow the sauce to reduce and become sticky.
4. Toss the glazed mushrooms in the popcorn mix making sure each one is well coated.

Serve as a snack in jars or cones at a party or while watching your favourite TV show.

MUSHROOM TAPENADE
A delicious spread for toast, bruschetta  or sourdough.

Ingredients:
500g mixed mushrooms (half portabellini, half white button); 4 garlic cloves, finely diced; olive oil for frying; 2 Tbsp capers, drained; juice of 1 lemon; 100g kalamata olives, pitted; 50g walnuts or pecans; 3 anchovy fillets; 1 tsp chilli flakes; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 handful Italian parsley, stalks removed; toasted sourdough for serving

Method:

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan and fry the mushrooms until they have released all of their water and begin to brown.
2. Add the garlic and cook until golden.
3. Into the bowl of a food processor add the cooked mushrooms along with the rest of the ingredients.
4. Process and pulse until you get a fine mix but do not over mix into a paste.

Serve the tapenade with slices of hot sourdough toast and an extra sprinkle of chilli flakes.

Air Fried Caprese Portobellos
Crispy air-fried portobello mushrooms topped with juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and aromatic basil for a tasty twist on Caprese.

Ingredients:
Dressing: 6 large sun-dried tomatoes; 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato vinaigrette; 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 8 large portobello mushrooms; 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp dried herbs; 3 Tbsp basil pesto

To serve: 300g bocconcini mozzarella torn into chunks; 200g cherry tomatoes sliced; 1 large bunch fresh basil leaves; salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
Combine sun-dried tomatoes, their vinaigrette, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Mix. Preheat air fryer to 170˚C. Remove the stem from each portobello mushroom.

Drizzle the portobellos with the balsamic vinegar. Season lightly with salt, pepper and dried herbs. Add about 1 teaspoon of basil pesto onto each portobello. Top with slices of tomato and torn bits of bocconcini mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms in the air fryer. You may need to do two batches. Air fry for 7-10 minutes depending on their size until the mushrooms are tender and the mozzarella is gooey and melted. Drizzle the mushrooms with the sun-dried tomato dressing and scatter them with fresh basil leaves. Serve straight away and enjoy!

SNACK TIME

100% Vegan Denny BBQ Mushroom Crisps, R23.99 from PicknPay.
Salted Mushroom Biltong made from brown and Shitake mushrooms farmed locally, R31.99 from woolworths.co.za