A meat-free dish can also satisfy a carnivore
There are times when our bodies need more TLC (tender loving care) than usual, when a surfeit of holiday feasting brings the need for less demanding food. Especially on days when a simple dish that is easy to digest is not only welcome but also necessary to balance dietary equilibrium.
Most welcome vegetables in a dish are edible mushrooms, and there are literally thousands of different types to choose from. The fruity body of a fungus they have a stem, cap and the gills (underside of the cap) and all parts are edible. You can peel without soaking as they will absorb the water, or wipe several times with a clean damp cloth. I prefer the latter and like to leave the peel intact.
The most prized mushrooms are chanterelle that are also known as girolles, morel, portobello, oyster aka pleurotte, cep aka boleto, black trumpet, and the most common type; button aka champignon, and Crimini – similar to button but with a more intense flavor. And that’s without even looking at the many delicious Asian varieties!
At the top end of the dollar scale you have the truffle, both black and white (the finest) and which can be priced at thousands of dollars per piece. If you are fortunate enough to get your hands on a fresh truffle, place it in a bowl with eggs (still in their shells) cover well and place in a cool place overnight. In the morning, remove and reserve the truffle for dinnertime, and make an omelette from the eggs – it will have retained the flavour of the truffle, and you will still have the truffle for later; shaved over pasta or with veal scallops or chicken or any way you prefer. It’s a good way to get the most for your buck!
Mushrooms are low in sodium and sugars and have no cholesterol. A 1-cup serving of mushrooms contains about 1 gram of dietary fibre.
For a quick stew: in butter or olive oil on a low to medium heat, fry 1 finely chopped purple onion and 3 cloves of garlic for 5-6 minutes in a heavy pan to release the sugars from the onion. Slice a combination of the mushrooms you can get/like, around 250 gms, and 1 red capsicum (pepper) and add to the pan with a shake of salt and cook for 10 minutes – keeping a low to medium heat, as butter will turn brown very quickly and olive oil will burn on high heat.
Meantime, in a bowl combine 2 tspns mushroom soya sauce, 1 tspn Worcestershire sauce, a few drops of chilli oil, 1 tspn of brown sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Slowly add 1/2 a cup of red wine to the cooking pan, let the alcohol burn off for a couple of minutes. Stir well and gradually add enough boiling water to make enough for 2 people. Let it simmer for 30 minutes, and then add the contents of the bowl, taste and adjust the seasoning – if necessary – and serve in a pretty bowl made from bread.
To make the bread-bowl, cut a 3 inch long piece off the end of a long loaf of bread – use both ends if serving two people. Hollow out the soft centre with a spoon and reserve for croutons (fried cubes of bread), place in a container that will hold the bread upright and ladle the soup into the bread-bowl, adding a grating of Parmesan or cheddar cheese if desired. You can also use a large 5-grain bun but not a hamburger bun, which is too soft. Or opt for toast points. If you like and are not vegan, you can add grated cheese to the bread points and toast under the grill. Garnish with coriander or flat parsley leaves.
Source: HK Edition 04/02/2011 page4
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2011-04/02/content_12266321.htm
