Advent Post #3: Christmas Recipe - Mushroom Bourguignon

Mushroom Bourguignon - serves 4, takes 30 mins, vegetarian, suitable for freezing

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
15g (1/2 oz) butter
125g (4 oz) shallots or pearl onions, halved
1 carrot, thickly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp. tomato puree
2 tsp. plain flour
125ml (4fl oz) fruity red wine
150ml (5fl oz) vegetarian stock
2 sprigs thyme
625g (1 1/4 lb) mixture of mushrooms, halved if large

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and butter in a heavy-based pan. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, then add the carrot and cook for 5 minutes more until soft. Stir in the garlic, tomato puree and flour and cook for 1 minute until the vegetables are well coated.
2. Pour over the wine, stirring well to ensure the sauce is smooth. Leave to simmer for a couple of minutes until the wine had reduced by half. Add the stock and sprig of thyme and cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. oil in a frying pan. Cook the mushrooms for a couple of minutes, add to the pan, along with any juices and simmer for 5 minutes. Scatter over some thyme leaves and serve.

Each serving contains 159 calories, 4g sugar, 10g fat, 2.9g saturated fat, 0.2g salt.

This recipe is ideal to double up as a delicious mid-week evening meal and then freeze the leftovers for a quick and tasty meal for Christmas week. Just don't forget to label it correctly and reheat thoroughly once defrosted (defrost overnight in the fridge is best)!

Recipe source: Tesco instore magazine, December 2013.

Mushroom Risotto - Recommended Recipe!

Mushroom Risotto - serves 4, preparation 15 minutes, cooking 30 minutes

Ingredients
25g dried mixed mushrooms or dried porcini
1.3 litres boiling water
1 tbsp olive oil
10g butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely crushed
250g mushrooms of your choice, finely chopped
350g risotto rice
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
30g Parmesan or Grana Padano, finely grated
Handful finely chopped parsley and about 5g butter (optional)

Method

1. Put the dried mushrooms into a jug, add the water, cover and stand for 15 minutes.  Pour through a sieve into a jug, saving the liquid.  Chop the mushrooms.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a pan and soften the onion for 10 minutes.  Add the garlic, soaked mushrooms and fresh mushrooms and fry for a few minutes.  Add the riceand balsamic vinegar and stir to coat.
3. Add a little of the dried mushroom stock and gently stir.  Once the liquid has been absorbed, add some more.  Keep adding the stock gradually until the rice is just cooked.
4. Take off the heat.  Sprinkle over the cheese and stir through the parsley and extra butter, if using.  Serve straight away.

Per serving - 430 kcal, 10.1g fat, 4.2g saturated fat, 2.7g sugar, 0.2g salt.

Source - The Co-operative instore magazine.

Mushroom Burgers - Recommended Recipe!

Mushroom Burgers - serves 4, preparation 5 minutes, cooking 5 minutes

Ingredients
4 portobello mushrooms or flat mushrooms
10g butter
2 tsp olive oil
30g Gruyere cheese or Cheddar, grated
A little fresh watercress
4 wholemeal rolls, lightly toasted
Relish of your choice (chilli relish or sweet chilli dipping sauce are the best)

Method

1. Preheat the grill to high.  Put the mushrooms on a baking tray.  Dot each one with a little butter and a tiny drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle over the grated cheese and grill for 5 minutes until cooked.
2. Scatter the watercress over the bottom halves of the bread rolls and top with the grilled mushrooms.  Dollop a little chilli or other relish of your choice on top.  Cover with the top halves of the rolls.

Per serving - 250 kcal, 9.3g fat, 3.9g saturated fat, 4.9g sugar, 1.0 salt.

Source - The Co-operative instore magazine.