Broccoli Stir-Fry With Chicken and Mushrooms

by Mark Bittman

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 pound broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces, the stems no more than 1/4-inch thick
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
•  Salt
• 1 cup water
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch chunks or thin slices and blotted dry
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
•  Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Put a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add half the oil, swirl it around, and immediately add half the garlic and ginger. Cook for 15 seconds, stirring, then add the broccoli, mushrooms and all but a sprinkling of the scallions. Raise heat to high, and cook, stirring, until mushrooms release their water and broccoli is bright green and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle with salt; add 1 cup water. Stir and cook until almost all liquid evaporates and broccoli is almost tender, another minute or two more, then transfer everything to a plate.
3. Turn heat to medium, add remaining oil, then remaining garlic and ginger. Stir, then add chicken and turn heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken has lost its pink color, three to five minutes.
4. Turn heat to medium. Return broccoli, mushrooms and juices to the pan, and stir. Add soy sauce, sprinkle with more salt and some pepper; add a little more water if mixture is dry. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced slightly and you’ve scraped up all the bits of chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with remaining scallion and serve.

• Stir-fries work with virtually any combination of vegetables; protein-dense food (meat, poultry, fish, tofu, etc.) is optional. Use pork (like shoulder), shrimp, beef (like sirloin), or tofu instead of chicken; slice the meat thinly or the tofu into cubes. Use cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, carrots or spinach in place of either the broccoli or the mushrooms or both. Or use other mushrooms. Use fish sauce instead of soy sauce and finish with a squeeze of lime to give it a Southeast Asian flavor. Use olive oil, skip the ginger, use onion instead of scallion, and substitute 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary or thyme to give it a Mediterranean flavor profile. Use coconut milk instead of water and 1 tablespoon curry powder instead of soy sauce to give it an Indian flavor profile.

Catalan Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley

I found a new way of cooking mushrooms with this recipe.

Serve these as a starter or perhaps as an accompaniment to the baked chicken. Leftovers are great on pizza or added to pasta sauce.Serves six.
1 lb. medium-size white mushrooms, stems trimmed to 1/2 inch, and quartered 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh garlic 
1 to 2 tsp. coarse salt or sea salt Put the mushrooms in a large bowl of cold water to soak for 10 min. Rinse them well and then drain.

Heat a large sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the drained mushrooms to the dry pan, cover immediately, and cook until all the moisture from the mushrooms is leached out, about 20 minutes. You'll know this has happened when you lift the lid for a peek and see the once-dry pan filled with liquid.

Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium high, and boil until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms begin to sizzle in the dry pan but haven't browned; they'll have shrunk considerably and should be firm when poked with a fork. Lower the heat to medium and stir in 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the parsley, and the garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the garlic softens, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving bowl, stir in the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil, and season with salt to taste (I like to salt them liberally). Serve while hot.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 100; Fat (g): 9; Fat Calories (kcal): 80; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Protein (g): 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7; Carbohydrates (g): 4; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 320; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 1;

Mushroom Gambas

This is one of my recent go-to recipes as I usually buy mushrooms every week.

1/2 kilo mushrooms
2 heads garlic, minced
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
few drops of Knorr seasoning
2 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tsp vinegar
1 tbsp parsley flakes

Mushroom Fried Rice

Yes, we just ate at a Chinese restaurant and I would like to try making fried rice. (Or let the husband make it as he's better at it.). This recipe from Food & Wine.

Photo by Melanie Acevedo

The quickest—and most authentic—way to make this hearty version of a Chinese-restaurant favorite is to start with leftover rice (you'll need about three cups). But even if you start with raw rice, you'll still be ready to eat in well under an hour.

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2. 3 tablespoons cooking oil
3. 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
4. 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
5. 1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced thin
6. 1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
7. 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
8. 6 scallions including green tops, sliced thin
9. 1/2 teaspoon salt
10. 1/4 cup soy sauce
11. 1/2 cup frozen peas
12. 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice and boil until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the rice and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil over moderately high heat. Add half the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and another tablespoon of the cooking oil. Add these mushrooms to the plate.
3. In the same frying pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of cooking oil over moderate heat. Add the red-pepper flakes, ginger, and scallions and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Increase the heat to moderately high and add the rice, salt, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes and then add the peas and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until everything's warm, another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

NOTES Most people throw away shiitake stems because they're tough. But you can simmer them gently in stock, or any liquid, until they're tender. If that's too much trouble, just save them to add flavor to stock.

Chinese Braised Mushrooms & Tofu

I made this dish tonight and my partner and I loved it. I added some red bell pepper, carrots, and used mini tofu puffs instead of firm tofu.

Recipe and photo from Eating Well.

Ma Po Tofu, a classic dish from the Sichuan province of China, inspired this recipe. The original is made with soft tofu and ground pork or beef with plenty of heat from dried chile peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. Portobello mushrooms stand in for the meat in our vegetarian version and convenient jarred chile-garlic sauce gives it plenty of kick. Serve with brown rice.

4 servings, about 1 cup each
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

4 portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, chopped

1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, (see Note)

1 1/4 cups mushroom broth, or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons dry sherry, (see Tip)

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and chile-garlic sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add broth, sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, tofu and water chestnuts and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a simmer, for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
3. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the saucepan and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Note: Chile-garlic sauce (also labeled chili-garlic sauce, or paste) is a blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and will keep for up to 1 year in the refrigerator.
• Tip: “Cooking sherry” can be high in sodium. Instead, look for dry sherry with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.

Nutrition

Per serving: 181 calories; 8 g fat ( 1 g sat , 3 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 5 g fiber; 545 mg sodium; 599 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Calcium (22% daily value), Potassium (17% dv), Iron (15% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 fat

Harvest-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

More vegan recipes from New York Times. The next three recipes are from chef Chloe Coscarelli.

 This hearty Thanksgiving entree is made of savory lentil cashew stuffing baked in juicy portobello mushrooms infused with aromatic herbs. It’s topped off with a sliver of sweet tomato and fresh thyme leaves. This dish is packed with protein and fiber and will hold its own on the Thanksgiving table.

1 large yellow onion, small dice
1 cup cashews
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked brown rice (or grain of choice)
1 can lentils, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves plus extra for garnish
6 portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1 tomato, sliced in thin rounds
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In large skillet, sauté the onions and cashews with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté until onions are soft and lightly browned. Add garlic and let cook a few more minutes.
3. In a large bowl combine onion mixture, brown rice, lentils, breadcrumbs, vegetable broth, basil and thyme. Mix together and season to taste with salt and pepper. (The stuffing can be made up to three days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.)
4. Brush both sides of mushroom caps lightly with olive oil and place top-side down on an oiled sheet pan. Stuff mushrooms with about 1/2 cup lentil cashew stuffing, then press one tomato slice on top of the stuffing. (The mushrooms can be stuffed and assembled on a baking tray the day before you plan to bake and serve them.)
5. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the stuffing is browned and the mushroom begins releasing juices. Garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves.

Yield: Serves 6.

Mushroom Lasagna

This lasagna tastes very rich, even though it really isn’t. It combines an olive oil béchamel with a simple mushroom ragout and Parmesan cheese. I prefer no-boil lasagna noodles because they’re lighter than regular lasagna noodles. But I still boil them because I think the results are better if they’re cooked until they’re flexible (a couple of minutes) first.

For the mushrooms:

1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

Salt

1/2 cup fruity red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Syrah

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Freshly ground pepper

For the béchamel:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion

2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour

2 cups milk (may use low-fat milk)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the lasagna:

1/2 pound no-boil lasagna noodles

4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)

A few leaves of fresh sage (optional)

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a glass measuring cup and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices. If using shiitakes, cut away and discard the stems. Then rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry and set aside. Chop coarsely. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms begin to soften and to sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, 5 to 10 minutes. Add thyme and stir in the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, add salt, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth has reduced by a little more than half, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.

3. Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw-flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into the pan with the mushrooms.

4. Assemble the lasagna. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil or butter a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add 3 or 4 lasagna noodles, just the number you need for one layer. Cook only until flexible, and using tongs or a skimmer, remove from the pan and set on a kitchen towel to drain. Spoon a thin layer of béchamel and mushrooms over the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread a ladleful of the mushroom/béchamel mixture over the noodles and top with a layer of Parmesan. Cook the next layer of noodles and continue to repeat the layers (I get three layers in my pan), ending with a layer of the mushroom/béchamel mixture topped with Parmesan.  Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and if you want the edges of the noodles crispy and the top lightly browned, continue to bake uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Advance preparation: The mushrooms can be cooked up to 4 days before the lasagna is assembled and baked. The béchamel can be made a day ahead. Whisk well and reheat gently before straining into the mushrooms and assembling the lasagna. The assembled lasagna can be tightly covered and refrigerated for a day before baking. Leftovers will keep for 3 or 4 days. Reheat in a low oven or in a microwave.

Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 387 calories; 5 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 44 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 336 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 19 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

Portobello Mushrooms Spaghetti Bake

While trolling for recipes, I discovered this blog and found 2 recipes that I will try soon.

I will make Portobello Mushroom Spaghetti tonight and I want to try this soon. I love catsup.

Serves 2 – 3 people 

Ingredients:

500g spaghetti

375g portobello mushrooms, sliced

575g pasta sauce

30g butter

1 tsp dried oregano

shredded cheese (I’ve used a mixture of mozarella, parmesan and cheddar) 

Sugar, salt & pepper

For white sauce:

50g butter

1 tbsp plain flour

1 cup milk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven with the top heat setting on 200 degrees celsius/392 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Cook pasta according to pack instructions. Drained and drizzle some olive oil to avoid the spaghetti sticking together. Set aside.

3. Melt butter and dried oregano in a pot with a little drizzle of olive oil (to prevent the butter from getting burnt). Once the oregano becomes aromatic, add sliced mushrooms and try to get all the mushrooms coated with the butter.

4. Allow the mushrooms cook until their moisture starts to ooze out. Add pasta sauce and let it simmer on medium to low heat while you start making the white sauce. If you skip the white sauce, let the pasta sauce mixture simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. Then, add pepper, sugar and salt to taste.

5. White sauce making - On a pan, melt the butter with a little olive oil. When the butter is melted, add flour and make sure it is well combined with the butter. Add milk and simmer until the sauce is thicken to your preferred consistency. Set aside.

6.  Toss spaghetti into the pasta sauce and mix well.  Layer it out on a baking dish.

7. Top the spaghetti mixture with white sauce and sprinkle some shredded cheese on the very top.

8. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

IMPORTANT: Kim from The Ramdom Ramblings of a Working Mum has alerted me about the downside of using foil trays with tomato based food (read her comment below). So please don’t follow my bad practice. Obviously at the end of the day, health trumps dirty dishes. 

Chinese Braised Mushrooms & Tofu

Try this recipe soon.

Miso-Mirin-Marinated Salmon with Mushroom Tomato Pasta

Want it faster? Season salmon with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice; and grill until done. Slice into chunks then toss with pasta.

Serves 2 Prep Time 15 minutes plus overnight marinating Cooking Time 30 minutes

For the Miso-Mirin Marinade
1 cup miso (fermented soybean paste)
1/2 cup mirin
3 tablespoons sake
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

2 salmon fillets
250 grams linguine
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
8 pieces button mushrooms, sliced
fresh oregano and thyme, finely minced
2 cans crushed tomatoes
6 pieces each black and green olives, sliced
1 tablespoon capers
salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 Combine marinade ingredients until pastelike. Marinate fish overnight.

2 Cook pasta until al dente.

3 Make the sauce: Sauté garlic and onions in oil. Add mushroom and herbs. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add olives and capers, then season to taste.

4 Meanwhile, bring out marinated salmon and grill over high heat for 3 minutes per side.

5 Toss cooked pasta with the tomato sauce and top with grilled salmon.

Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburgers

Here's a recipe my partner would love.

Large portobello mushrooms are perfect burger material, just the right size for a meaty and satisfying meal. I like them best with Gruyère cheese on top.

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 garlic clove, green shoot removed, minced or pureed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed

1 6-ounce bag baby spinach

4 ½-ounce slices cheddar or Gruyère cheese

Whole grain hamburger buns and the condiments of your choice

1. Whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil. Toss with the mushroom caps in a wide bowl. Rub the marinade over the tops of the mushroom caps and place them on a baking sheet, rounded side up. Let sit for 15 minutes. Don’t rinse the bowl, because you’ll use any oil and vinegar residue to dress the spinach.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and blanch the spinach for 20 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, drain and squeeze dry. Chop coarsely and toss in the bowl with the residue of the marinade. Set aside.

3. Prepare a medium-hot grill, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, or preheat an electric grill or panini pan on medium-high. Season the mushrooms as desired with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the hot grill or pan, rounded side down. Cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness, until lightly browned, and moist. Turn over and cook for another 6 minutes. Turn over for a minute to reheat the top, then flip back over and place the cheese on top. Continue to cook until the cheese melts. If using a panini grill, cook 6 to 8 minutes. Open the grill and place the cheese on top. Wait for it to melt. Place a mound of spinach on the bottom half of each hamburger bun and place the mushrooms, rounded side up, on top of the spinach. Top with your choice of condiments and serve.

Yield: Serves 4.

Advance preparation: You can marinate the mushrooms for up to a day.

Catalan Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley

Serve these as a starter or perhaps as an accompaniment to the baked chicken. Leftovers are great on pizza or added to pasta sauce.
Serves six.

1 lb. medium-size white mushrooms, stems trimmed to 1/2 inch, and quartered
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh garlic
1 to 2 tsp. coarse salt or sea salt

Put the mushrooms in a large bowl of cold water to soak for 10 min. Rinse them well and then drain.

Heat a large sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the drained mushrooms to the dry pan, cover immediately, and cook until all the moisture from the mushrooms is leached out, about 20 min. You'll know this has happened when you lift the lid for a peek and see the once-dry pan filled with liquid.

Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium high, and boil until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms begin to sizzle in the dry pan but haven't browned; they'll have shrunk considerably and should be firm when poked with a fork. Lower the heat to medium and stir in 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the parsley, and the garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the garlic softens, another 3 to 4 min. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving bowl, stir in the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil, and season with salt to taste (I like to salt them liberally). Serve while hot.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 100; Fat (g): 9; Fat Calories (kcal): 80; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Protein (g): 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7; Carbohydrates (g): 4; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 320; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 1;