6 Vegetarian Recipes: Even Non-vegetarians Will Get A Kick Out Of Vegetarian Awareness Week May 10 – 16

Veggies have come a long way since Meatless Monday. They’re celebrated on restaurant menus, supermarkets are lining up their shelves with veggie-based meals and home cooks have been fired up by fast and easy meatless meals.  Top of the heap are umami-rich mushrooms. Not only are they spectacular in the flavour category, they’re also low in fat, high in fibre and antioxidants and packed with vitamins and minerals.

These mushroom recipes will leave even the most determined carnivore satisfied:

Wholewheat Spaghetti With Mushrooms, Kale and Hazelnuts (Button and Baby Button)

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

• 500g wholewheat spaghetti
• 45ml olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 250g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 100g baby button mushrooms
• 100g kale, chopped
• 1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
• 100g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 30ml flat leaf parsley
• 60ml Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 30ml dukkah (optional)

To Serve:

• Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• dukkah (optional)

Method:

• Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions, drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the garlic for 1 minute.
• Add the button mushrooms and baby mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the reserved spaghetti and the kale and cook for 3 minutes, or until the spaghetti is heated through.
• Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Toss to combine.
• Serve at once with extra Parmesan cheese and dukkah, if desired.

Caramelised Onion, Mushroom & Mascarpone Crustless Quiche

Serves 4 -6

Ingredients:

• 15ml oil
• 2 onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 5ml brown sugar
• 15ml red wine vinegar
• 15ml butter
• 350g mushrooms*, sliced (* either brown, portabellini or button or a mixture of mushrooms)
• 2 cooked potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 150g white cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and milled black pepper
• 4 eggs
• 250g mascarpone
• 5ml fresh thyme

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°
• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions over a low heat for 10 minutes.
• Add the sugar and vinegar and cook for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the onion mixture to a plate and return the pan to the stove.
• Add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for 5 – 7 minutes.
• Spray an ovenproof frying pan or cake tin with non-stick baking spray.
• Layer the potatoes at the bottom of the pan followed by the mushrooms and onions.
• Top with the grated cheese and season well with salt and pepper.
• Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until well beaten and then beat in the mascarpone cheese.
• Pour the egg mixture over the quiche mixture and top with thyme.
• Bake for 35 – 45 minutes, or until golden and set.
• Serve with grilled tomatoes for breakfast or a side salad for lunch.

Mushroom, Aubergine & Cheese Quesadillas with Rocket & Lettuce Slaw

Serves 4 as a light meal

These vegetarian quesadillas are packed with flavour and make a plate full of delicious crowd-pleasing snacks.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 aubergines, sliced into 1 cm rounds
• olive oil, for drizzling (plus more for frying)
• salt & pepper
• 250 g brown mushrooms, sliced
• at least 8 medium size flour tortillas
• 2 cups mature cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• 1 head of baby gem lettuce, shredded
• 1-2 cups wild rocket
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 30-45 ml milk

Method:

• Arrange the aubergines on a large baking tray brushed with oil, then drizzle all over with more oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast in a preheated oven at 220 C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.
• While the aubergines are roasting, heat about 30 ml olive oil in a large wide pan and fry the mushrooms until cooked and brown. Season with salt & pepper and set aside.
• Assemble the tortillas: place some cheese on a tortilla, then top with roasted aubergines & fried mushrooms. Top with more cheese, then cover with another tortilla and press gently to compress. Fry in a hot, dry pan on both sides until slightly charred and the cheese have melted. Slice and serve at once, with the slaw on the side.
• For the slaw: place the lettuce and rocket in a mixing bowl. Mix the mayonnaise with the milk to create a slightly more runny mayo sauce. Pour over the leaves and toss to coat.

Mushroom, Garlic and Rosemary Foccacia

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 10ml olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 8 portabellini mushrooms, sliced
• 12 baby button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 400g white bread flour
• 5ml salt
• 10g instant yeast
• 15ml olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 250ml lukewarm water
• Flaked salt

Method:

• Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the garlic, add the mushrooms and fry on both sides until, just golden. Season with salt and pepper and add the rosemary. Set aside.
• Combine the flour, salt and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the olive oil and enough water to form a soft dough. Knead for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise. When risen punch the dough down and knead in three quarters of the mushroom mixture.
• Shape into an oblong ball and flatten it with the palm of your hand on a greased baking tray. Brush the bread with olive oil and then arrange the remaining mushroom mixture onto the bread.
• Leave in a warm area and allow to rise for 15 minutes. Once risen, bake at 180°C in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Enjoy warm.

Oriental Mushroom Tacos

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 fresh Portobello (big brown) mushrooms, cleaned, or 500g Button or Portabellini mushrooms, cleaned and threaded onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 3tbsp Korean barbecue marinade (available at Woolworths), or other barbecue marinade of your choice
• 1 baby cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 carrot, grated
• ¼ red onion, finely sliced
• 1tsp wasabi
• 6tbsp good quality mayonnaise
• 4 soft tacos (any flat-bread will work)
• ½ avocado, sliced
• handful coriander leaves
• lemon wedges, grilled on the braai until caramelized, about 5 minutes

Method:

• Brush the mushrooms with the barbecue marinade and place straight onto a medium-hot braai, basting with more barbecue sauce as you go, and turning until mushrooms are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the cabbage, carrot, onion, wasabi and mayonnaise.
• Toast soft tacos on the braai, a couple of seconds on each side.
• Remove mushrooms from the braai, slice into thick strips, and divide between tacos. Top with slaw, avocado and coriander. Serve immediately with grilled lemon wedges.

Red Onion and Sweet Potato Frittata with Button Mushrooms

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large red sweet potato, peeled, sliced and steamed
• 10ml olive oil
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 250g button mushrooms, sliced
• 6 eggs
• 125ml low fat plain yoghurt
• Salt and pepper
• Fried baby button mushroom for garnish
• Micro herbs

Method:

• Heat the olive oil in an oven proof frying pan, add the onion and garlic and sauté until glossy, add the mushroom s and fry until golden. Arrange the sliced red sweet potato into the pan.
• Beat the eggs and yoghurt together, season with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan. Heat over a medium plate on the stove top until the frittata is 3 quarters cooked through.
• Place the pan under the grill and grill the top of the frittata until souffled and golden.
• Serve with extra mushroom and micro herbs.

Cooks tip: for a meat lover, add 125ml chopped fried bacon to the frittata.

Recipe and image supplied by The South African Mushroom Farmers' Association