These recipes were created by the wonderful Jessica Murnane of www.jessicamurnane.com
I've made some small adjustments and these dishes have been hugely popular whenever I've served them, so I'm excited to share them with you.
The stuffed mushrooms make an amazing dinner party entree and the puree is also delicious when served over vegetable noodles or cooked quinoa.
Roast kumara puree
Nutritional yeast (also known as savoury yeast flakes) is a form of deactivated yeast which adds a cheesy flavour, while being dairy-free. It can be found in some health food and specialty food stores.
1 large orange kumara, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp oil
sea salt and black pepper
cup nutritional yeast
1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
cup cashew nuts, soaked at least 2 hours and drained
1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
Method
Preheat oven to 200degC. Mix kumara cubes with oil, salt and pepper and roast for 30-40 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.
Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly and place in a blender with remainder of puree ingredients.
Blend until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed, to reach desired consistency.
Makes approximately 2 cups.
This recipe makes more than needed for the stuffed mushrooms; keep excess refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Cheesy stuffed mushrooms
There's no cheese in this recipe, it's a vegan dish, but tastes ''cheesy'' due to the puree flavour.
It's always good to add an element of surprise to recipes!
8-12 large flat or BBQ mushrooms, washed
1 Tbsp oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ red or yellow capsicum, finely chopped
1 cup spinach, finely sliced
1 Tbsp tamari
¾ cup roast kumara puree, plus extra to serve
Fresh thyme or rosemary, chopped
To serve
mixed greens
finely chopped chives
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Method
Remove stalks from mushrooms and chop stalks finely; set aside. Place mushroom caps on a tray lined with baking paper.
Saute onion, garlic and capsicum in oil until transparent. Add spinach, chopped mushroom stalks and tamari and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove from heat and add a cup of roast kumara puree and thyme/rosemary. Stir well.
Preheat oven to 180degC. Fill each mushroom cap with a generous spoonful of the spinach/onion cream filling. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until mushrooms are soft.
Serve on a bed of mixed greens. Top each mushroom with a splash of the extra kumara puree and sprinkle with finely chopped chives and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
- by Nicola Brown
Looking for inspiration? Want more scrumptious plant-based recipes to wow your friends? Check www.nibl.co.nz for more inspiration, and for details about this month's Rawcous Desserts workshop.
