Mushroom and Kale Risotto

From www.foxeslovelemons by Lori Yates

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 4

Preparation: 35 min

Cooking: 25 min

Ingredients

  • 1000ml of vegetable (or chicken) stock
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 0.5 onion (red preferably)
  • 250g brown mushrooms
  • 1 cup (240ml) arborio (risotto) rice
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
  • 250g shredded kale
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Special Equipment

  • Small pan
  • Large high-sided frying pan

Preparation

  • Step 1 – Kale quality check
  • Inspect the shredded kale and remove any hard bits of stalk
  • Cut any large bits into smaller pieces
  • Wash the kale thoroughly
  • Step 2 – Stock
  • Prepare stock in saucepan over medium heat
  • When simmering, turn off heat and keep covered
  • Step 3 – Onion and garlic
  • Peel, halve and slice the onion into small bits
  • Peel and finely chop the garlic
  • Step 4 – Mushrooms
  • Wash the mushrooms
  • Cut in slices, and halve again to roughly button mushroom size

Cooking

  • In large high-sided frying pan, melt some butter over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 min, stirring frequently.
  • Add mushrooms and thyme, cook 8-10 min or until mushrooms are deep golden brown, stirring frequently.
  • Reduce heat to medium, add the rice, cook 1-2 min or until rice begins to become translucent at edges of grains, stirring constantly.
  • Add wine and pepper, stir constantly until wine is mostly absorbed.
  • Add 1/2 cup hot stock, stir frequently until mostly absorbed. Add additional broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring after each addition and cooking until broth is mostly absorbed before adding more. Cook for 18 min.
  • Then stir in kale and cheese. Continue cooking 2-3 min longer or until rice is tender, stirring frequently and adding broth as needed (you may not need all of the broth).

Finishing

  • Serve on preheated plates.
  • Sprinkle some parmesan on top.

For vegetarians, make sure that you use vegetable stock.

In addition, for vegans, make sure that you omit the parmesan cheese.

Pork loins with mushroom sauce and beans

from “Cook with M&S Food”

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 2

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2x lean pork loins
  • 1x packet of brown mushrooms
  • 1x packet of green beans
  • 1x bag of shallots or onions
  • 150 ml of double cream
  • 1x jar of M&S mushroom & roasted garlic paste

Special Equipment

  • Large frying pan
  • Medium frying pan

Preparation

  • Vegetables
  • Wash mushrooms thoroughly and then cut them into thick slices
  • Peel the shallots, slice them in half (length-ways) and then cut them into 1 cm thick half moon slices
  • Cut ends off the green beans and then cut the beans in half

Cooking

  • Step 1 – Vegetables
  • Add 2 tbsp of oil to a large frying pan, sauté the mushrooms for 8-10 minutes on a medium/high heat, until golden and caramelised. Season to taste
  • Remover the mushrooms from pan and set to one side, cover to retain heat
  • Add another tbsp of oil to the pan and sauté the shallots for 6-7 minutes or until softened
  • Step 2 – Pork
  • Season the pork loins to taste on both sides
  • Using a separate frying pan, add 2 tsp of oil and cook the pork on medium heat, 4-5 minutes on each side
  • Step 3 – Combine
  • While the pork is cooking
  • Return the mushrooms to the large frying pan with the shallots
  • add 150 ml of double cream and 100 ml of water to the pan along with the green beans
  • Stir thoroughly and simmer for 5-6 minutes (or until beans are no longer crunchy), stirring regularly

Presentation

  • Use heated plates
  • Serve the pork loins surrounded by the creamy mushroom/shallots/bean mix

Nice and easy Friday night recipe!

Goes well with a nice bottle of red wine to start the week-end…