This dish is winter comfort with a twist! Flavour packed portobello steaks, creamy smooth parsnip and white been puree, fragrant and nutty dukkah and umami meets zingy jus. You must try this and learn to cook mushrooms this way. The cooking method is inspired by the wondeful brtohers that run Wicked Healthy, Chad and Derek Sarno. Check them out if you haven’t yet and get inspired by their fantastic cooking.

Mushrooms make for a great meaty element on the plate and here I cook them with chicken seasoning to give it that savoury flavour we all know and love.

Dukkah is a Middle Eastern, or more specifically of Egyptian origin, and is a spice, nut and seed mix that brings a lovely crunch and savoury touch to any meal. With ingredients like coriander and cumin seeds, sesame seeds and walnut it adds a little flare to this meal.

Parsnip is a winter classic here in the nordics and paired with white beans it makes for a rich and smooth as well as sweet and savoury combo that makes a perfect base note for the other elements in this dish.

The jus brings some zesty lemon into the mix and gives it a ll a little kick to bring it home. A simple and light sauce that you make in just a couple of minutes.

I made this main course as part of my Valentine’s menu to inspire plant powered home cooked celebration meals this year. Before it in the menu I would serve this bruschetta with green olive tapenade, to go alongside it I make as fresh fennel and fresh herb salad and after these orange chocolate pots. Don’t miss out and check out the other recipes too!

Malin x

Portobello Mushroom Steaks w/ Parsnip and White Bean Purée and Dukkah

Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS:

For the dukkah (makes 1,25 cups):

1 cup walnuts

3 tbsp sesame seeds

3 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp flaked sea salt

For the mushrooms:

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

3 / roughly 240 g portobello mushrooms

1 tsp chicken or steak seasoning

Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the lemon jus:

1 cup / 250 ml water

0,5 mushroom stock cube

1 tbsp corn starch

Zest from 0,5 small lemon

1 tbsp lemon juice

For the purée:

2 medium / 350 g parsnip (steam 10 min)

1 cup / 170 g white beans

2 tbsp soy milk

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

0,25 tsp onion powder

0,25 tsp garlic powder

Salt and black pepper, to taste

METHOD:

The Dukkah:

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Break the walnuts into the hot and dry pan and toast for a couple of minutes until fragrant and golden. Add the nuts into the bowl of a food processor with an s-blade.

Return the pan to the heat and sprinkle in you coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds as well as sesame seeds. Toast for 2-3 minutes, and keep moving them around as they toast, until they are fragrant and popping.

Add the seeds to the food processor bowl along with the salt and pulse the machine to make a fragrant, chunky sprinkle.

The Mushrooms:

Heat a thick bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add about 3 tbsp rapeseed oil and let heat up. Place mushrooms with the flaky side down into the pan. Let heat up slowly for a minute and until it makes a good sizzling sound. While this develops score a criss-cross pattern into the top of the mushrooms. When it sizzles place a skillet or heavy frying pan on top to press down on the mushrooms. First let the weight of the pan do the work and then gently press with your hand to flatten and get more of a cooking surface for a minute or two.

Leave the pressing pan on and if the mushrooms start releasing a lot of liquid allow the mushrooms to cook until it all evaporates, this usually takes about 7-10 minutes over medium heat. The timing will depend on how much liquid your mushrooms releas though and if you find that the mushrooms don’t release any liquid after about roughly 5 minutes flip them over and repeat what you did on the previous side; first cooking them for a couple of minutes without pressure and then adding the skillet on top. It should release its juices after a few minutes on this side for sure, then simply let it all evaporate. Either way allow your mushroms to cook for another minute or two after the liquid has completely evaporated as this is when it will develop some nice caramelisation and colour.

Once you flip the mushrooms you might want to add another drizzle of oil if the pan seems dry, you can do this at any time if you find the pan dries up. When you’ve got a good golden colour on both sides of the mushrooms season them with half the seasoning on the side facing up, at this point it should be the flaky saide of the mushroom, and then flip it over. Turn upp the heat a little and fry for a couple of minutes with the pressure of the second skillet. Season the other side with the remaining seasoning and flip over. Cook for another 3-4 minutes with pressure from the second skillet, this will allow the top of the mushroom to brown nicely.

Remove the mushrooms from the pan and place in an oven safe dish. Leave the dish in the oven heated to about 50 C, just to keep it warm while you finish the other elements.

The jus:

To make the jus pour 1 cup of water into the pan and use a whisk to release the flavours caught on the pan into it. If using a cast iron or carbon steel pan transfer your liquid into a small pot and place that over the heat instead. Add half of a stock cube into the water and use a whisk to dissolve. Mix 1 tbsp corn starch with 1 tsp cold water in a small glass or jar. Pour it into the stock while whisking. Keep whisking while you bring the jus to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer for a couple of minutes, whisking continuously. Take off the heat when the jus has thickened a little and add lemon zest as well as lemon juice. Whisk together and serve in a jug next to the main course.

The purée:

Peel and chop the parsnips into chunks. Cook in a steamer basket or simply boil until tender. Combine with the other ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides a couple of times and then blend again to make sure everything is well incorporated.

Serve:

Spread the purée onto a flat plate. Cut the mushrooms into halves and place three on each plate. Sprinkle with dukkah (and if you wish drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil). Serve the jus in a jug on the side.

dinner dukkah main course mushroom parsnip party steak walnut white bean