What's in season? Five ways to use mushrooms in your midweek dinner

Versatile and substantial, mushrooms are perfect for a variety of main-course recipes, like risotto, omelettes, and patata bravas

Champignon mushrooms: a versatile and flavourful favourite

Joe Swash’s mushroom risotto

A delicious risotto for after-school dinners

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 1tbsp olive oil

• 50g butter

• 1 small onion or shallot, finely chopped

• 1 leek, finely chopped

• 300g mushrooms (white/button/cremini/chestnut), finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

• 1 large sprig of thyme, leaves picked

• 400g risotto rice

• 100ml white wine or Vermouth

• 1.5L chicken or mushroom stock

• 50g Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve

• Salt and black pepper

• To garnish:

• 15g butter

• 250g mixed mushrooms, sliced if large

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped

Method

1. Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the onion or shallot and the leek and cook very gently, stirring regularly, until soft and translucent.

2. Add the mushrooms to the pan. Turn up the heat and fry until they have given out their liquid and look dry but glossy. Add the garlic and thyme and stir for a couple more minutes.

3. Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes until glossy with butter. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the wine or Vermouth and let it bubble away until almost completely evaporated.

4. Add a large ladleful of the hot stock. Stir constantly but slowly until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, then continue to add ladlefuls of stock in the same way until the rice has plumped up and is al dente and the sauce around it is creamy. You may have a small amount of the stock left.

5. Add the remaining butter and the Parmesan and beat it into the risotto – this will make the risotto extra creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover and keep warm.

6. Place a frying pan over a high heat and add the butter. When it is foaming, add the mixed mushrooms and fry them very quickly until well browned. Add the garlic and stir for a couple of minutes, then season with salt and pepper.

7. Serve the risotto garnished with the mushrooms and more grated Parmesan for people to add at the table.

Chestnut and wild mushroom soup

recipe by:Neven Maguire

You can make this Christmas soup ahead of time - it's the perfect stress-free starter

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 50g dried mixed wild mushrooms, crushed

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 450g peeled chestnuts (canned or vacuum-packed), chopped

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

• 50ml Madeira wine

• 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

• 200ml cream

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• snipped fresh chives, to garnish

• fresh micro herbs, to garnish

Method

1. Put the dried wild mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour 400ml (14 fl oz) of boiling water over to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes, until they have plumped up. Drain the mushrooms and gently squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid.

2. Heat a large pan and add the oil. Add the chestnuts, the onion and drained wild mushrooms and sweat gently for 10 minutes, until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

3. Add the thyme to the pan with the reserved soaking liquid, madeira wine and the stock, stirring to combine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and allow to heat through for 1 minute, then whizz with a hand-held blender until as smooth as possible.

4. Season to taste, then blend again until light and foamy, tilting the pan to get the maximum effect.

5. To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Garnish each one with the chives and micro herbs.