June 24, 2017 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments
serves 6
1 oz dried mushrooms
3 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
340g cremini (swiss brown) or button mushrooms – stems removed – sliced
1.5 tsp dried oregano
2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
1/2 cup barley
1/4 tsp salt
In a small saucepan, bring the dried mushrooms and water to a boil. Remove, stand for 15 mins.
Meanwhile, coat a Dutch oven with nonstick spray.
Add onion, carrots & celery. Spray them lightly too. Cook over medium heat for 3 mins, stirring occasionally. Add sliced mushrooms & oregano. Again, cook stirring occ. – for 6-8 mins until soft.
Add broth, barley and salt. Cook for 10 mins.
Line a fine mesh sieve with a coffee filter or paper towel. Strain dried mushroom water into the pot. Remove and discard filter leaving dried mushrooms in sieve. Rinse in running water to remove any grit. Chop up and add them to the pot, cooking for 10-15 mins or until barley is tender.
NOTE: another recipe adds 1 tsp minced garlic, another adds a bay leaf and tells us to toast the barley with the vegies “for a deep warmth”.
If you want it creamy, add 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4 to 8 hours and drained – add to blender when processing. Also add 1.5 teaspoons miso paste. (If you forgot to soak your cashews, just place them in a saucepan with some water and boil for about 15 minutes.)
June 4, 2017 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments
serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbs olive oil
20g butter
1 brown onion, finely chopped
250g cup mushrooms, sliced
2 zucchini (about 350g)
2 cups grated mozzarella
2 eggs
2 carrots, grated
600g sweet potato, peeled, thinly sliced
900g butternut pumpkin, deseeded, trimmed, thinly
sliced
60g pkt spinach leaves
¼ cup finely grated parmesan
baby rocket leaves, to serve
1. Preheat oven to 180°c. Grease & line a 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushroom. Cook for 10 minutes or until caramelised. Season. Set aside.
3. Grate zucchini & squeeze well to remove liquid. Combine in a bowl with ¼ cup mozzarella and 1 egg. Stir well. Season. Set aside.
4. Combine carrot, ¼ cup mozzarella and remaining egg in a bowl. Season.
5. Layer half the sweet potato slices, overlapping slightly, in base of pan. Sprinkle with ¼ cup mozzarella. Spread the zucchini mixture over, cover with half the pumpkin and ¼ cup mozzarella.
6. Continue with carrot mixture, remaining pumpkin and ¼ cup cheese. Spread mushroom mixture over, then spinach and ¼ cup mozzarella. Top with the remaining sweet potato, mozzarella and finish with parmesan.
6. Cover pan tightly with foil and place on a baking tray. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft when tested with a skewer and cheese on top is melted and golden. Stand for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
Cut into wedges and serve with rocket.