Bacon, Feta & Spinach Stuffed Portabellos
Ingredients:
10 portabello mushrooms
250g streaky bacon
300g baby spinach
2 tsp butter
200g feta cheese
40g rocket
1 Tbsp oregano, finely chopped
Olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Steam the mushrooms on a wire rack fitted into a large pot, for about 5 minutes. Remove and place on a cooling rack and allow excess liquid to drain.
Cut bacon into a chunky dice and fry until crispy. Add the butter and allow to caramelise and get a deep golden colour. Season well with pepper.
Remove the bacon from the pan and cook the spinach in the bacon fat for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl add the crispy bacon bits, the cooked spinach, the fresh rocket torn into smaller pieces, the oregano and mix well. Crumble in the feta and give it a final toss.
Generously spoon the mixture onto the portabellos and serve straight away.
Gin Pairing:
50ml Mirari Amber Gin
Dehydrated orange slices
150ml tonic water
A few dashes of bitters
Fill desired glass with ice and add the dehydrated orange slices. Pour in the Mirari Amber Gin and top with tonic water. Finish with a few dashes of bitters.
Gin Pairing Note:
A classic combination, the creamy and smoky flavours from the stuffed portobellos are well complemented by the sweet honey and orange notes of the Mirari Amber. The richness and deep flavours of this dish are cut by the refreshing and complex notes of citrus and rose.
Boerewors Stuffed Mushrooms
Serves 4-6 as a snack
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
2tbsp coconut oil
250g boerewors, removed from casings
12 Portabellini mushrooms, cleaned, stalks removed and reserved
1 red chilli, finely chopped
150g full-fat cream cheese
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method
1 Heat oven to 200°C. Heat coconut oil in a pan and brown the wors mince, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Finely chop the mushroom stalks and add to the pan with the chilli. Cook for 5 minutes more.
2 Stir in the cream cheese and parsley and taste for seasoning.
3 Pack into the 12 mushroom caps and bake for 8-10 minutes, until browned and bubbling.
Mushroom Lentil Burgers
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 tbsp. Canola/olive oil, divided
¾ cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
5 regular or whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted and divided
400g white button mushrooms, sliced
1x 400g tin lentils, drained
4 tsp. mustard, divided
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
30g feta cheese, crumbled
1 ½ tbsp. canola mayonnaise
½ cup rocket
Method
- Preheat the grill.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp. of oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat.
- Place 1 bun in a food processor; process until coarse crumbs form. Remove breadcrumbs from food processor; set aside.
- Combine mushrooms, lentils, 2 teaspoons mustard, and the next 3 ingredients (through salt) in food processor; pulse to combine.
- Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, mushroom mixture, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring well. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a 1.5cm-thick patty. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat.
- Add patties; cook for 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove patties from pan; arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle patties evenly with cheese. Place under grill for 2 minutes or until cheese is softened.
- Combine canola mayonnaise and remaining 2 teaspoons mustard in a small bowl. Spread the top half of each of the remaining 4 buns with 2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture.
- Top each bottom half of bun with 1 patty. Divide rocket evenly among burgers; top with top half of bun, mayonnaise-coated side down.
