This dish is not Genovese sauce but it is inspired by those simple flavours, and a lot more filling.

Ingredients
1 tbs olive oil
2 chicken breast fillets
10 medium-sized mushrooms (Swiss browns are good)
½ cup pesto
1 cup cream, marscarpone or crème fraiche

Method

Cut the chicken into small pieces and fry in olive oil on medium heat until golden.

Slice the mushrooms and add to the pan. Mix through until coated with pan juices and starting to cook through.

Reduce the heat to low, and stir the pesto through. Heat through until fragrant.

Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Stir until thickened, leaving enough liquid to coat freshly cooked pasta.

 Bellissimo!

Porcini, shiitake, Swiss brown, oyster, enoki, wood ear, king, shimeji, button, truffle…these are just a few of the mushroom types available, all of them delicious with their own distinct tastes and textures.

Mushrooms contain natural glutamate, an amino acid found in all foods with protein. Natural glutamates provide “umami”, otherwise known as a savoury or meaty taste.

While many people shy away from mushrooms because of the texture, I love them. I think Stephanie Alexander’s description in The Cook’s Companion sums them up pretty well: “the earthy, sweet, sometimes buttery, sometimes meaty textures and flavours are magnificent”.

Not only are they are full of flavour, but mushrooms also contain essential vitamins and minerals, and are rich in antioxidants, while being low in fat. Definitely a staple on our weekly shopping list…

Useful mushroom hints:

• texture should be firm and the tops dry
• avoid ones that are discoloured, wrinkled or moist
• store them in the fridge in a brown paper bag
• use a moist pastry brush to brush away any dirt
• there’s no need to peel them or remove the stems.

Mushroom risotto

A favourite dish in our household is mushroom risotto. It’s warm and hearty, and the way I make it uses a variety of mushrooms to make the most of the different flavours and textures.

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
1 brown onion, diced
½ cup flat-leaved parsley, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1¼ cups arborio rice
750ml beef stock
125ml red wine
2 tbs tomato paste
250g assorted mushrooms—I most commonly use shiitake, Swiss brown, oyster, king and wood ear
½ cup Parmesan cheese
2 tbs cream or mascarpone

Method

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter on a medium heat until transparent. Stir through the parsley.

Add the arborio rice and stir to coat. Put the lid on the saucepan and allow the heat to rice until it starts to turn translucent. Stir regularly to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick.

Add the red wine and stir until evaporated.

Add the mushrooms and tomato paste and stir through with a ladle of beef stock. Continue to stir regularly and add beef stock one ladle at a time, allowing it to be absorbed each time before adding more.

When the rice is creamy and firm, but not crunchy, remove from the heat and stir through the Parmesan cheese and cream or mascarpone. Serve immediately.