If I were vegetarian, fungi would be my top meat replacement. They are the closest thing to meat in taste and texture, and rightly so because they are not plants: fungi are a category all of their own, neither plants not animals. Are they safe if you’re vegan? That’s a curious point which I shall let the interested parties worry about.
Mushrooms are truly an amazing foodstuff. They are highly sustainable, need hardly any water to grow and next to no feed, plus they create no emissions! On top of that they are super nutritious, with high protein content, fibre, vitamins and microelements. Eating mushrooms can lower your cholesterol levels and nudge production of vitamin D. They are good for the heart and for the gut.
And they are supremely delicious and easy to prepare in a myriad of ways.
Sautéed king oyster mushrooms flavoured with miso, butter and Parmesan are a great side dish and a genuine umami bomb. King oyster mushrooms are delicious and versatile, but again, a mix of regular cap ‘shrooms will do just fine.
Miso Parmesan mushrooms
RECIPE
Whenever I’m served pale, limpid and soggy ‘fried’ mushrooms for breakfast or inside a veggie burger, it makes me want to cry. Fried mushrooms must be cooked properly through, crispened and caramelised, with lots of oil and butter, and thus cooked, they are divine. How is it so difficult to achieve in restaurants?
This recipe is sometimes touted as vegetarian steak! It’s truly special, whether you agree or not: a mix of cultivated mushrooms pressed flat whilst cooking, to concentrate and wonderfully enhance their flavour.
If you can’t procure any wild mushrooms, this will be as delicious with some chestnut, oyster or shiitakes. Pan fried guinea fowl breast with fresh wild mushrooms, it’s the epitome of an autumnal dish. And a feast fit for the gods!
Guinea fowl with mushrooms
RECIPE
The ultimate version of mushrooms on toast – with yellow, wild chanterelles. Also known as girolles, the former name more precise as derived from the Latin name of the species, they are the little sunny autumnal pots of flavour.
Mushroom sauce is extremely versatile, and it will be elevated to the heights of deliciousness if you add a few dried wild porcini to it. It is the loveliest sauce for pasta, steak, chicken, meatballs and whatever you fancy.
If you’re fortunate (or well off) enough to get hold of a sizeable portion of wild mushrooms, cook them simply: sauteed with a little butter, seasoned with just salt and pepper and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Vegetarian Bolognese? Yes please, but no weird soybean meat substitutes are needed in this recipe. Creamy mushroom ragu is a rich and flavourful dressing for pasta, gnocchi or polenta. With a hint of tomato, it's Umami Central.
This is the best mushroom risotto recipe, made with dried porcini mushrooms. Rehydrated porcini are as good as fresh in dishes like risotto, or in fact better, because of the concentrated flavour achieved through drying.
Earthy flavours! Mushrooms and lentils are a fantastic pairing, while red peppers and spinach add a touch of vibrant colour. Cooking lentils from scratch is better value and not a lot of effort.
Lentils with mushrooms and spinach
RECIPE
Who says mushrooms don’t go with fish? This gratin proves them wrong. White fish fillets baked under the cover of delicious mushroom sauce topped with crisp breadcrumbs - that's a dish that looks very impressive and is, in fact, very easy to accomplish.
Pasta dish is a must when we talk about mushrooms. This recipe is one of the most versatile pasta recipes ever: garlicky cream sauce, flavoursome roasted mushrooms and good fettuccine pasta. And you can chop and change each of those elements.
Creamy fettucine with mushrooms
RECIPE
Another pasta recipe, this time a/ baked in the oven and b/ creamy like a risotto. That’s right, because it’s an orzotto, made with that funny pasta shape that looks like grains of rice. With fragrant dried mushrooms and cubed pancetta, it’s super easy and twice as tasty.
Baked orzo with mushrooms and pancetta
RECIPE
Simply sublime: fried chicken fillet with melted mozzarella covered mushrooms. It’s inspired by Welsh rarebit but – call me biased - much more interesting!
The budget version of lavish beef stroganoff made with pork fillet, it’s actually none the less tasty. Perfect for when you want to cook an easy but special dish and don’t fancy spending a small fortune on the ingredients.
Another pork recipe with mushrooms in the supporting but crucial part. Pork fillet aka tenderloin is seared whole then browned again in slices, served in a sauce made with dried mushrooms.
Twice cooked pork with mushrooms
RECIPE
It’s a brown, brown dish, with brown (wholegrain) rice and chestnut mushrooms. Both are more nutritious than their white equivalents, and tastier. Brown rice takes longer to cook than white, but it’s harder to overcook so that’s another win.
Brown rice with mushrooms
RECIPE
Another interesting variety of rice that goes beautifully well with mushrooms is wild rice – which actually isn’t rice at all. Intrigued? It’s well worth trying albeit quite expensive. But what an exquisite treat of earthy flavours, chewy textures with a burst of nutritional values!
Wild rice with mushrooms
RECIPE
Ottolenghi inspired fondue filo pie features mushrooms in my version. It’s a combo of Savoyarde raclette experience and a Greek or Middle Eastern filo pastry, and it’s excellent.
Mushroom and fondue filo pie
RECIPE
And finally, the perfect breakfast recipe. Fluffy omelette which doesn’t have to be as perfect as in some TV shows, because the topping of melted cheese and mushrooms cooked in butter will more than make up for any skill shortcomings.
Cheese and mushroom omelette
RECIPE