Make Room for the Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a source of Vitamin B9, Vitamin B3 Vitamin B3,Vitamin B5, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc and fibre. Mushrooms are low in calories, fat, sodium and carbohydrate making them an excellent tasty choice for people looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy metabolism and digestive system.

2 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
Olive oil
100g Brown mushrooms
100g Chanterelle mushrooms
a handful of Breadcrumbs
1/2 tub of cream cheese
Black pepper to taste
1 handful of chopped fresh chives

1. Fry the mushroom cumin seeds and garlic until soft.
2. Place all the ingredients in a blender whizz until smooth and serve spread on rough outcakes, good bread or crackers.

300g of button mushroom chopped in half
2 onions finely chopped
1 fresh tomato skinned and chopped
1 fresh green chilli deseeded and finely chopped
3tbsp tomato puree
4 cloves garlic crushed
2.5 cm of fresh root ginger finely chopped
2tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/4tsp garam masala
1 cup plain youghurt or more to taste
2tbsp butter
1tbsp oil

1. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger in the oil until the onions are light golden in colour.

2. Add the tomato, tomato puree and spices (except the garam masala) and continue to fry for another 5-6 minutes stirring the ingredients through -if the mixture seems a little dry at this point you can add a few tablespoons of water to loosen things up.

3. Allow the mixture to cool and whizz to a smooth paste. Meanwhile fry the mushrooms in the butter. When the musrooms are cooked through add them to the paste with the garam masala and yoghurt to taste.

A handful of dried porcini pre soaked for approx 20mins.
Olive Oil
550g mixed mushrooms (use your own favourite varieties)
4 fat cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick of celery finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
a knob of butter
a handful of fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
800ml vegetable stock
1/2 tsp cumin
a handful fresh chopped parsley and chives
500ml full cream milk
1 lemon
1 glass of white wine

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic and onion until soft.
2. Add the celery and carrot and mushrooms and continue to fry.
3. Once everything is softened, strain the porcini to remove any grit and add the porcini and soaking liquid to the pan. Add the lemon juice, thyme and the rest of the seasoning and continue to fry for another minute or two.
4. Add the stock and simmer for 20 mins.
5. Allow mixture to cool before blending to a smooth puree.
6. Add the wine and milk and heat through.
7.To serve garnish with chopped parsley and chives.

225g Button Mushrooms
15g Salted Butter
4 Cloves of Garlic Crushed
2 tbsp of Chopped Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Fry the mushrooms slowly in the butter over a low heat, add the garlic and season well. Continue to fry for at least 15-20minutes until mushrooms are cooked. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley.
2. Serve on toasted good quality bread.

A knob of butter or 1tbsp of oil
A handful of mushrooms chopped
25g of Mature Cheddar
A handful of chopped chives
2 Large free range eggs

1. Fry the mushrooms in the oil or butter for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Beat the eggs and then place in pan, cook until set.
3. Cover one half of the omlette ith the mushrooms, cheese and chives, flip the other half over to cover the mushrooms and cook until the cheese has melted.
5. Serve with a good salad or thick cut chips.

Sometimes you need something quick, tasty, easy and filling to eat. This is what I have when I fancy a bit of midweek spice.

1 onion finely chopped
1tsp oil
A few handfuls of mushrooms
1 can of Tomtoes
2 tbsp of madras curry paste
a cup of natural yoghurt
Coriander to garnish

1. Fry the onion until golden, add the mushrooms and continue to fry for another 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the curry paste and stir well to coat the mustooms.
3. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10-15 mins
4. Srir in the yoghurt, garnish with coriander and serve with rice or bread.

If you're new to growing mushrooms, the easiest way to get started is with a mushroom growing kit, but if you're a confident gardener you can construct your own kit. Make sure you grow your mushrooms indoors, grown outdoors they can spread and end up mixed up with harmful varieties. Keep them indoors and you'll know beyond all doubt you're harvesting safe, edible mushrooms.

You'll Need

A 2.5-3ft growing tray about 7-8 inches deep.
Compost
Mushroom Spores
Old newspapers
Moist peat moss
A plant mister or fine water spray.

Directions

1. Fill the tray with compost and spray with water -you want it moist but not waterlogged.

2. Mix in your mushtoom spores.

3. Store somewhere dark at an even tempreature of about 18C and mist daily with water.

4. After about two to three weeks a white webbing should form on the surface of the soil. At this point you should cover the soil with peat moss and 2-3 layers of newspaper and keep misting twice daily for the next ten days. You should move the growing tray somewhere a little cooler at this point, you're looking for a temperature of about 12-14C.

5.After about ten days remove the paper and keep misting twice a day. Within about 4-7 days you should see tiny mushrooms beginning to form. You can pick the mushrooms as soon as they reach the size you want, this usually takes about two weeks. Depending on how happy they are you'll get somewhere between two and six months of tasty fresh mushrooms.