Cook from Scratch – Mushroom soup and Mushroom Chilli Carbonara

Mushrooms have wonderful health benefits and you can find out more about them and more delicious recipes here in a recent cook from scratch with Sally and Carol: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2017/09/20/smorgasbord-health-2017-cook-from-scratch-with-sally-and-carol-taylor-mushrooms/

I love soups in the winter months and like to buy the boxes of mixed mushrooms with all their varying flavours that bring depth to a soup.

CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

When preparing mushrooms remember that if you wash them you need to dry as much as possible before cooking, however with soup that is not too much of a problem since you need the liquid.

To serve four people a generous supper portion or six as a starter.

• 250gm (8oz) mushrooms (the type of mushroom will determine colour – brown mushrooms give a depth of flavour but you can use shiitake or button too.
• 1 medium onion.
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon and rind (try freezing your lemon before grating and you get the added vitamin C from the pith)
• 600ml (pint) of chicken or vegetable stock.
• 200ml (1/2 pint milk) I use full fat milk to give a creamy taste but you can use semi-skimmed.
• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (a pinch)
• A half teaspoon of pimiento dulce to add a little spice and colour.

Preparation
Wash and slice the mushrooms and put into a pan with the finely chopped onion and grated rind and lemon juice. Pour in the stock and milk and add the thyme and salt and pepper.

Cover the pan and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Liquidise the soup and then return to the pan to reheat and check the seasoning.
Serve hot with warm French bread.

MUSHROOM CHILLI CARBONARA

I love pasta although I do not eat as much carbohydrates these days as my requirement is much less than it used to be. However, we have a pasta dish with or without meat at least once a week. Here is a recipe using mushrooms and with a touch of added heat from chilli.

Serves 4 people.

• 250gm (8oz) button, chestnut or shiitake mushrooms.
• 300ml (1/2pint) hot water
• 225gm (8oz) pasta of your choice – Tagliatelle or spaghetti is great especially whole wheat.
• 1 crushed garlic clove or level teaspoon of garlic powder if you like the spice.
• 25/30gm (just over an 1oz) butter
• 15ml (1tbsp) Olive oil (do not worry about virgin or extra virgin for frying)
• 1 Teaspoon dried red chilli flakes
• 300ml (1/2 pint) single cream
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Fresh grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Preparation

Cook the pasta according to the preparation information on the packet, drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

In a pan lightly sauté the garlic if you have used fresh cloves in the butter and oil.

Add the mushrooms, chilli flakes and cook for about three minutes.

Pour in your hot water and boil to reduce the sauce.

Beat the eggs and the cream with the seasoning.

Add the cooked pasta to the pan of mushrooms and then add the eggs and cream.

Mix through the ingredients

Reheat so that the eggs are cooked but don’t boil.

Serve in a bowl with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.

Images Pinterest.

You will find other recipes for the foods that I consider to be essential to our diet in Sally and Carol’s Cook from Scratch.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/cook-from-scratch-with-sally-and-carol-recipes/

I hope you will enjoy trying these two recipes – thanks Sally..

If you have a recipe that you would like to share then please email me on sally.cronin@moyhill.com