Mushroom roulade

This is so old*, I couldn't find it anywhere. Thankfully, Julie still had it!!
I've posted it here so that I don't lose it again.
Thanks, Ju!

Btw, I always put the cheese on top rather than in with the mushrooms (as well?) - looks nicer, otherwise it's so pale.
Also, I always sauté onions with the mushrooms and possibly garlic; I'm sure that's much nicer!

(*it's so old, it's typewritten!)

Mediterranean eggplant ratatouille

I made the recipe you sent me from The Meat Free Monday Cookbook but didn't have some of the ingredients so it changed considerably into this; very delicious! I'll definitely be making it again soon.

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped (or 3 small)
2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
1 eggplant, cubed
1 - 1.5 cup Trader Joe's Harvest Grains blend (a mixture of Israeli/pearl couscous, red and green orzo, split dried garbanzo beans, and red quinoa). Substitute with whatever grains you can find, or potatoes.
1 tsp dried oregano
1 large (28 oz/800g) can/2 medium (14.5oz/400g) cans chopped tomatoes
2 cups/400g vegetable stock (or a bouillon cube and boiled water)
10-12 mushrooms, chopped
1 large apple, chopped (or 3 small)
1-2 Tbsp capers
2 oz/125g feta, crumbled

Heat some of the oil in a large soup pot, add the chopped onion and celery and sprinkle with a little salt. Cover with a lid (this helps them sweat but not brown). While the onion is cooking, chop the eggplant. Add the remaining oil and the eggplant and cook 4-5 more minutes, until the eggplant begins to soften. Add the tomatoes, stock/water, grains, oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for  25-30 mins until all the vegetables are tender and the grains are cooked (check halfway through to stir and add more water if necessary). At the end, it should be thick & chewy, not soupy.

Add the capers and heat through, and salt & pepper to taste. Serve with the feta.

Optional: additional vegetables like zucchini and red bell pepper, olives, and sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts (or more affordable: sunflower seeds). You can definitely make this ahead and let it sit, it will improve.

Gorgonzola mushrooms

We made this for our 25th wedding anniversary party - it is so easy and people love it.

In fact, it's so easy, there's not much to change on it.... read on.

Gino D'Acampo's combination of strong, blue cheese with sweet honey is a very sexy one and these mushrooms are great as a starter or light supper.

Serves: 2

Cooking time: short

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 large button mushrooms

• 50g runny honey

• 200g Gorgonzola cheese (at room temperature)

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, cut in half

• Salt and pepper

• Rocket to serve

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

• Carefully remove the stalk from each mushroom and discard to create a cavity ready to be stuffed.

• Rub a little honey on the inside of the mushrooms with the tip of your finger then stuff each one with 1–2 tsp of Gorgonzola.

• Place the mushrooms on a baking tray, season and drizzle with the oil along with some more honey.

• Cook in the oven for about 10 minutes. Arrange the stuffed mushrooms on a large serving plate with a rocket salad.

Fergusons' famous funghi

My father and I learnt this recipe in an Italian cooking course we took a few years ago and have tweaked it a bit along the way. It is delicious, fairly simple but with a unique taste and flavour, and always a big hit. Not healthy, but it's so tasty that you should just not think about that. You can also alternate how you serve it - for instance at Christmas we served it wrapped in crepes rather than with the usual tagliatelle. Anyway, here goes:

• a bunch of mushrooms (any kind will do really; you can do the plain ones, although the darker ones ('kastanje' or 'grot' champignons in Dutch) are tastier, or go for fancy mixed paddestoelen for a special occasion)
• a tub of mascarpone (200 gr. or so)
• a bunch of garlic (to taste, but I would do at least 2 or 3)
• 1 small onion or shallot
• 1 liter vegetable bouillon
• 2 laurel leaves
• 1 twig fresh rosemary, or otherwise a handful of herbes de provence
• 1 small jar of black olive tapenade
• truffle oil (white is stronger but black (cheaper) will do also)
• tagliatelle
• butter
• salt & pepper to taste
• my father adds: a swig of marsala wine
• I add: a bunch of lemon juice, just to freshen it up

Bring a large pan of water to the boil for the tagliatelle.

Clean the mushrooms carefully with a piece of kitchen paper or a mushroom brush (not water!) and slice them (but not too thin). If you are using wild mushrooms leave them as they are. Cut the onion/shallot into small pieces and slice the garlic. Heat butter in pan, add mushrooms, onion, garlic, rosemary and laurel. Salt & pepper to taste. When they are done, scoop out of the pan and set aside.

Pour in the bouillon, loosen the scrapings from the pan, and add the mascarpone (and if you are using it, the marsala wine). Slowly stir until it reaches the consistency of a nice sauce and is reduced by about 1/3. (In the meantime, cook the tagliatelle.) Add half of the mushrooms to the sauce, all the tapenade and a good swig of truffle oil (and if you are using it, the lemon juice).

When the tagliatelle is done, drain and add olive oil. Scoop into deep plates, add the mushroom sauce and top with the rest of the cooked mushrooms. Garnish with a smattering of fresh green herbs.

Just experiment with this recipe until you have it how you like it best. But I guarantee each time it will be delicious if you stick to the basic ingredients.

original source: atelier otto & mezzo