A Mushroom Medley

Mushroom Noodle Soup
(Pictured above)

Preparation time: 15 minutes 230 kcals per serving
Cooking time: 30 minutes 8g fat per serving

Ingredients:
150g/5 oz button mushrooms
150g/5oz shiitake mushrooms
1ltr/1¾ pt good flavoured vegetable stock
1stalk lemon grass, finely chopped
2cm/ ¾inch ginger, peeled and chopped
½ lime, juice only
1 kaffir lime leaf
15ml/1tbsp shoyu (soy sauce)
1 clove garlic, crushed
30ml/2 tbsp oil
150g/5oz instant noodles

To serve
2 spring onions
15ml/1tbsp sweet chilli sauce (or to taste)

Method:
1. Cut stalks off shiitake mushrooms and reserve. Slice all mushrooms, keeping shiitake and button mushrooms separate. Set aside.
2. Put stock into a saucepan together with the shiitake mushroom stalks, lemon grass, ginger, lime juice, lime leaf and shoyu. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid and discarding vegetables. Return liquid to pan and reheat.
3. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes*. Meanwhile sauté the garlic and button mushrooms in about 30ml / 2 tablespoons of oil, stirring all the time, until the mushrooms are softened. Add mushrooms and garlic to the pan.
4. Cook noodles according to packet instructions.
5. Divide the noodles between four soup bowls and pour the hot soup over them, dividing the mushrooms between the bowls. Garnish with shredded spring onions and serve with chilli sauce.

For a summer version: thicken the soup with 30ml/ 2 tablespoons of cornflour mixed with a little water. Gradually stir this mixture into the soup at the end of the simmering time. Chill. Omit the noodles and instead, garnish with finely chopped red pepper and spring onions. If liked, add a teaspoon or two of sherry to each bowl of soup. 120 kcals. 6g fat per serving.

Serves 4 Vegan

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Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Preparation Time: 20 minutes 160 kcals per serving
Cooking Time: 15 minutes 8g fat per serving

Ingredients:

30ml/2 tbsp olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
75g/3 oz basmati rice, cooked
150g/5 oz fresh baby spinach, blanched, drained & chopped
pinch nutmeg
25g/1 oz dolce latté (or any vegetarian blue cheese), crumbled
4 flat mushrooms or portabello mushrooms, stalks trimmed

To serve tomato and lettuce salad

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190º C, 375º F, Gas mark 5.
2. Heat half the oil in a pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic until golden, then place in a medium sized mixing bowl.
3. Add the next four ingredients and mix well together to create the stuffing. Divide into four and fill the mushroom caps.
4. Use the remaining oil to grease the base of a roasting tin. Place the mushrooms in the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked.

Serve with a tomato and lettuce salad Serves 4

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