Labels

00 flour 7-spice 8-ball squash açaí acorn squash afternoon tea agar ale alfalfa allspice almond butter almond essence almond meal almonds alphabet amchoor american anise seed apple apple cheese apple juice apple sauce apricots artichoke asiers asparagus aubergine autumn avocado balls balsamic vinegar banana banana skin bannock barberries barley basil bath bomb batter bay BBQ sauce bean burger bean pasta beans beansprouts beauty beer beeswax beet greens beetroot belize beluga lentils berbere berry bicarbonate of soda birch syrup birthday biscuits black beans black eyed beans black garlic black pepper black trumpet blackberry blewit blue cheese blueberry bok choi borlotti beans borscht boston bran brandy brazil nut brazilian bread bread flour breadcrumbs breadsticks breakfast brezeln british broad beans broccoli broccolini brown lentils brown rice brown sugar brownies brussels sprouts buckwheat bulghur wheat buns butter buttermilk butternut squash cabbage cacao cajun spice cake camping canada candied peel candles cannelini beans capers caramel caraway cardamom caribbean carob molasses carrot greens carrots cashew cauliflower cayenne celeriac celery celery seed ceps cereal champagne chanterelle chard cheese cheese rind cherry chervil Chestnut chia chia seeds chicken of the woods chickpea chickpea flour chickpea miso chickpeas child-friendly chilli chips chives chocolate christmas chutney cider cider vinegar cinnamon citric acid clapshot cloves coarse salt cocoa coconut coconut kefir coconut milk coconut oil coconut sugar coconut vinegar coffee collard greens compote cookies copenhagen cordial coriander coriander seed cornbread cornflour cornmeal cornstarch cottage cheese courgette courgette flowers couscous crabapple crackers cranberries cranberry cranberry sauce cream cream cheese cream of tartar creme de cassis crumble cucumber cumin cupuaçu curd currants curry curry leaves curry paste custard dal dandelion-ramp miso danish date date molasses dehydrator demerara sugar digestive biscuits dill dinosaur dip donuts dosa dragonfish dressing dried fruit drink dry tofu dukkah dulce de leche easter edamame egg egg yolk elderberry elderflower elephant english epsom salts essential oil evaporated milk fake milk fennel fennel seed fenugreek feta fiddleheads fig filo fire cooking firm tofu flan flapjack flatbread flour flowers focaccia food colouring football freekeh fresh yeast frittata fritters galangal galette garam masala garlic garlic scapes gazpacho german gin ginger ginger wine gingerbread glass noodles gluten-free glutinous rice flour gnocchi goat's cheese golden beets golden raisins golden syrup gooseberry gorgonzola graham flour granola grape grape molasses grapefruit greek green beans green pepper green plantain green tea green tomato haggis haricot beans harissa hazelnut hedgehog mushroom hemp seeds holy basil hominy honey horseradish hot cross buns hummus ice lollies iceland icing icing sugar indian injera irish italy jackfruit jam jamaican japanese jelly jicama kahlua kale kale chips kalonji kefir ketchup kohlrabi koji kombucha lasagne latkes lavender lebkuchen leek leek flowers lemon lemongrass lentils lettuce lime lime leaves linseed lion's mane mushroom liquorice powder lovage lunch macadamia nuts mace mahlab maitake mango maple syrup marble marigold marmalade marzipan masa harina mascarpone mash melon membrillo mexican milk millet mince pies mincemeat mint mirin miso mixed spice mochi moghrabieh molasses morel mousse mozzarella muesli muffins mulberry mulberry molasses mung beans mushroom mushroom powder mushroom stock mustard mustard oil naan nasturtium new york no-bake cake noodles not food nut butter nut roast nutella nutmeg nutritional yeast oat yoghurt oatmeal oats okara okra olive oil olives onion onion skins onions orange orange blossom orange juice oregano oyster mushroom package pancakes panch phoran papaya papaya seeds paprika parkin parmesan parsley parsnips pasta pastry peach peanut peanut butter pear peas pecan pecan pie pecorino pepper pesto petersilienwurzel philadelphia physalis pickle picnic pie pine nuts pineapple pistachio pizza plantain plum polenta pomegranate pomegranate molasses ponzu popcorn poppy seeds porridge potato potluck preserve pretzels prune psyllium seed husk pudding pumpkin pumpkin seed butter pumpkin seeds purple carrots purple noodles purple potato puy lentils pyo quince quinoa radicchio radish radish greens rainbow cake raisins raita ramps ras el hanout raspberry ratatouille ravioli red cabbage red kidney beans red lentils red onion red wine red wine vinegar redcurrant jelly redcurrants relish restaurant reykjavik rhubarb rice rice flour rice pudding rice vinegar ricotta risotto rocket rolls root veg chips rose rose harissa rosemary rugbrød rum runner beans rye saffron sage sake salad salsify salt sauce sauerkraut scones scottish sea buckthorn seaweed seeds semolina sesame oil sesame seeds sesame tofu seville orange shepherd's pie shiso silken tofu skyr slaw sloe snacks snow soba noodles socca soda bread sodium hydroxide soup sour cherries south american soy sauce soybean spaghetti spaghetti squash spätzle spelt spelt berries spinach spread spring spring onion sprouts squash st. george's mushroom star anise stew stout strawberry sugar sultana sumac summer sunchoke sundried tomato sunflower seed butter sunflower seeds super firm tofu sweet sweet potato sweetcorn tacos tahini tamale tamari tamarind tapioca flour tarragon tart tea tealoaf teff tempeh thai thyme tinned peaches tkemali toast tofu tofu scramble tomatillo tomato tomato puree tonka bean toronto tortillas tray bake treacle truck truffle turmeric turnip turnip greens tyttebær udon umeboshi vanilla vanilla bean vegetable stock veggie burger vermouth vine leaves vinegar walnut oil walnuts wasabi watermelon watermelon radish wax wheat berries whisky white balsamic vinegar white beans white chocolate white pepper white spelt flour white wine wholemeal wild garlic winter wood ear xanthan gum yeast yellow beans yellow split peas yoghurt za'atar zimtsterne

Monday, March 11, 2013

Herby-couscous-crusted Portobello mushrooms

I hardly ever cook with couscous, despite its obvious advantages (so quick and easy!), as S is not a fan, texturally (one of the few things he doesn't like, so I can't complain). He was into this idea though, so we gave it a whirl.

~6 portobello mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
1 cup couscous
boiling water
olive oil
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
~10 capers, chopped
~10 black olives, chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp za'atar
juice of 1/2 lime
red wine vinegar
salt+pepper

Heat the oven to 450F. Put the couscous in a bowl and cover with boiling water (up to about 5 mm above the level of the couscous in the bowl). Cover the bowl with a lid or plate and leave to steam.

Meanwhile, heat ~1 tsp olive oil in a pan and then fry the sunflower and pumpkin seeds with a little salt. When lightly browned, transfer seeds to a bowl. Add another tsp of olive oil to the pan and when hot add the onion and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring often, until softened. Add the remaining ingredients (except the mushrooms), including the couscous (check it is soft and fluffy first), and taste for seasoning, adding vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Place the mushrooms on it, gill side up. Using a teaspoon, squish as much couscous mixture as you like all over the gill surface of each mushroom (I made them about an inch thick with couscous in the middle, curving down towards the edges - if you leave the stem on build the couscous mixture around it, if not just put it all over). Put in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the mushrooms are fragrant and have softened to release their juices, and the couscous on top is golden and crisp (the underneath couscous will still be soft, try a thinner layer if you'd rather it was all crispy).


Turns out that as the baking makes the upper layer of couscous crispy this creates some textural variety and defuses S's texture issues. I also enjoyed the combination of crispy outside and surprising, softly steaming, inner couscous with the juicy mushroom. Could have perhaps used even more herbs (double?), I thought, but anyway this was simple, comforting and subtly tasty.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)