There’s so much more than Thai basil to these stuffed portobello mushrooms but as this is the prevailing flavour in the filling, I decided to keep the name simple.
As always, my ingredients and measurements are dependant on what’s currently in season, or in our fridge! Also, on the nature of the day.
We found loads of wild garlic on an outing yesterday so these were the main greens I used; last time I made this dish I wanted to use up broccoli as it seemed to be procreating in our fridge so that was the main green component.
If you don’t have time to roast nuts it will still taste delicious without.
There may be quite a few ‘put asides’ – don’t be fooled. This is not a difficult dish to make; each component flows easily. Just those nuts need some forethought. Keeping roasted pine nuts in a jar is very handy at times like this. I had a friend staying who volunteered to roast them, which was another option!
Let your imagination take over and add what you love to it! The Thai basil and mushrooms, however, must stay, otherwise you need to find a new name for this recipe 🙂
Delicious with just a salad alongside. Enjoy.
For 4 hungry people
Ingredients:
8 large portobello mushrooms
250g mixed rice such as wild/brown basmati
handful wild garlic leaves or spinach, finely shredded
2 large leaves Savoy cabbage, core removed, shredded
broccoli broken into tiny florets (c 1/4 head)
packet of Thai basil (or handful of leaves), shredded. Put 8 aside for decoration
3 medium heritage tomatoes, chopped; I used marmonde as I loved the colour/taste & they’re currently in season
2 red onions, sliced
2 salad onions/scallions, green only, finely sliced
2 tbsp roasted pine nuts (if you have time to roast…. & watch carefully!)
Mozzarella for decoration on top – for those who want
Oil, butter or ghee for cooking; olive oil for mushroom-drizzle
balsamic vinegar, a couple of splashes
1 tbsp Marigold vegetable bouillon powder (some sea salt will do)
freshly ground pepper
Method
Remove the mushroom stems, place on a baking-paper lined oven tray and drizzle with some olive oil. Bake in a medium oven about 10 mins. You want the mushrooms to still hold their form and not flop.
Remove from the oven and put aside.
Cook your tomatoes next. Start by adding the sliced onion and scallions to a pan (ghee, butter or olive oil) and fry gently until the onion colours. Add the chopped tomatoes and some splashes of balsamic vinegar and cook over a low heat until it becomes slightly mushy.
Put this aside as well.
Use a large pot for the rice as you will be adding greens and mushed tomatoes to it by the end. Cover the rice with enough water so it won’t boil dry. When it’s almost cooked add a tbsp bouillon powder or some sea salt, plus all the greens – including the shredded Thai basil – so they all steam on top. If you find you don’t have enough water, add a little more freshly boiled water – not too much!
When the greens look wilted, and the rice is cooked to your taste, add your cooked tomatoes and mix everything together. Add the roasted nuts at this point if you’re using them.
Spoon into the musrooms and decorate with a slice of mozzarella and a Thai basil leaf.
Place back in the oven until the cheese melts.
A salad alongside is more than enough as you have all your veg and rice carb neatly packed in the mushrooms – enjoy!