I’ve been buying portobello or flat-cap mushrooms a lot recently. They’re great for so many reasons. It’s very easy to get Irish mushrooms, and they’re cheap too. They’re perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner and are the ultimate convenience food. When the fridge is bare apart from some mushrooms, fry them over a high heat, stir through some lemon juice and parsley or thyme. Season generously with salt and black pepper then pile on to hot, buttered toast.
I roast trays of mushrooms with wedges of onion and sprigs of thyme, then blitz with chicken stock to make a rich, dark soup.
This past summer I’ve regularly made mushroom-stuffed pitta breads for dinner. Simply cut portobello mushrooms into thick slices and place in a Ziploc bag with slices of red onion, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for a few hours, or overnight, then fry until meaty and caramelised.
This makes a really delicious supper when stuffed into warm pitta breads with hummus and salad leaves. Mushrooms improve greatly when marinated, soaking up flavours brilliantly. These larger portobello mushrooms are perfect for stuffing. I sometimes remove the stems and gills, then chop them finely and mix in a bowl with parsley, crumbled black pudding and some sourdough breadcrumbs. Bind together with a splash of olive oil, then use this mixture to stuff the mushrooms. Baked for 10-15 minutes, it results in a crunchy-topped black pudding mushroom, perfect fuss-free food for cooler weather.
This red pepper sauce is one of the simplest things to make and is delicious. It’s so versatile. I sometimes use it like a mayonnaise in sandwiches or spread onto bruschetta. It doubles up as a pasta or pizza sauce and can be thinned with a little lemon juice and used as a salad dressing. Use it as a ketchup alternative or swirl it through potato and leek soup for dramatic effect and added flavour. It keeps for a week in the fridge, so it’s worth roasting a few peppers at a time and making a big batch. You can even add a few basil leaves or half a clove of garlic before puréeing.
Baked eggs are perfect for breakfast or brunch. Here I suggest serving two for a more filling supper, with some crusty white bread for mopping up the juices. Just make sure the egg is not overcooked. Once the white is set, I usually remove it from the oven, leaving the yolk soft: perfect for dipping chips or toast soldiers into.
PORTOBELLO BAKED EGGS: SERVES 4
The five ingredients
- 4-8 eggs
- 4-8 portobello mushrooms
- 1 red pepper
- 10g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 100g chorizo or salami, cubed
From the pantry
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. First roast the red pepper. Simply rub a little olive over the pepper and place it on a baking tray to roast. It will take about 40 minutes until it’s blistered and beginning to blacken.
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp piece of kitchen paper. Gently remove the stems and the gills with a teaspoon if the mushrooms aren’t deep enough to hold the eggs. Place the mushrooms on to a large baking tray and make sure they sit flat. Crack each egg into a cup, then slide it into the hollow of the upturned mushroom. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the white of the egg is firm.
When the red pepper is cooked remove it from the tray and place in a bowl. Cover tightly with cling film and leave to steam as it cools for a few minutes. The skin should then come off easily. Remove and discard the seeds, core and skin. Place the red pepper into a food processor along with two tablespoons of olive oil and some sea salt. Blitz until smooth and creamy. This can also be done with a hand-held stick blender. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
Fry the cubed chorizo until crispy, then set aside on paper towels.
To assemble, place one or two eggs on each plate, drizzle with the red-pepper purée and scatter with the parsley and crispy chorizo. Serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread.
- Every Thursday we'll tweet the five ingredients from @lillyhiggins and @irishtimeslife so you can have them ready for Friday. Email givemefive@irishtimes.com with your suggestions for recipes
