Mushroom, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

A flaky pastry crust is filled with seasoned eggs, fresh asparagus, creamy goat cheese and a roasted medley of mushrooms. The use of pre-made puff pastry makes this tart easy to put together for a weekend lunch or quick appetizer.

Recipe developed in partnership with Egg Farmers of Ontario.

Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 30 mins. | Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 lb (500 g) fresh mixed mushrooms (crimini,
shiitake, oyster)
1 450 g package frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight
in refrigerator
2 large eggs
½ tbsp (7 mL) Italian herbs
Salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 oz (50-80 g) softened goat cheese
2 tbsp (30 mL) milk
15 asparagus spears, ends trimmed
1 oz (30 mL) goat cheese, crumbled (for topping)

 

Method

1. In a large pan add olive oil. Cook mushrooms over medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes, or until moisture has been released.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out both pastry sheets. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Fold over edges all around pastry sheet to make a raised crust.
4. In a small bowl whisk together eggs, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, softened goat cheese and milk. Divide mixture between both pastry crusts.
5. Place asparagus spears across the top of egg mixture. Spoon cooked mushrooms over asparagus. Crumble remaining goat cheese evenly over entire tart. If desired, brush the crust with egg wash*.
6. Bake tart for 20-25 minutes or until eggs are set, asparagus is tender, and crust is golden.
7. Serve warm or cooled.
*Tip: Brushing the crust with an egg wash will produce a nicely browned crust with a slightly glossy finish.  To make egg wash simply whisk together 1 (one) large egg and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water until frothy. Use a pastry brush to apply egg wash to crust.
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Mushroom, Apple and Walnut Stuffed Acorn Squash

Recipe developed in partnership with Ontario Apple Growers.

Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 45 mins. | Serves: 8

Ingredients

4 small-medium sized acorn squash, seeded, cut in half lengthwise
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
8 oz (227 g) fresh mixed mushrooms (portabella, shiitake, oyster), coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly diced
2 Ontario apples*, peeled and finely diced
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 cup (250 mL) vegetable stock
½ cup (125 mL) walnuts, roughly chopped
1 small loaf of day-old sourdough or French bread, cut into ¼ inch cubes (approximately 5 cups)
*Tip: Use Ontario Idared, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, or Empire apples.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
2. Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake about 30 minutes or until soft.
3. Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan heat olive oil. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add celery and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Lower heat and add apples. Continue to cook until apples become tender, about 5 minutes. To the pan add butter, sage, and vegetable stock. Heat just until butter is melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Place chopped walnuts and diced bread in a large bowl. Pour warm vegetable stock mixture over bread. Using your hands toss the bread until it is well coated and most of stock is absorbed.
5. Remove squash from oven and turn it cut side up. Divide the stuffing among each squash half; spoon the stuffing into the cavity of each squash until filled. Return to 350°F/175°C oven and bake until stuffing is golden brown, approximately 15-20 minutes.
6. Serve hot alongside a festive ham or weeknight roast chicken.

 

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Mushroom Breakfast Muffins

I’m a big fan of mushrooms, eggs and tomatoes for breakfast but some days I don’t have time to cook myself that type of meal – especially during the week. These muffins combine the best of the morning meal in a hand-held breakfast-to-go!

Recipe and photo by Mardi of eat. live. travel. write.

Prep Time: 15 mins. | Cook Time: 25 mins.

Ingredients

200g mixed mushrooms
2 large cloves garlic
4 tablespoons butter
325g (2 cups) flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
60mls (1/4 cup) sunflower or vegetable oil
180mls (3/4 cup) milk
75g soft goat cheese, crumbled
6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare your muffin tin by lining it with paper muffin cups or greasing it with a little oil or butter.
3. Slice the mushrooms and set aside 12 cross-sections to add to the top of the muffin batter before baking, or if you are using smaller mushrooms like shiitake, set aside 12 whole ones. Finely chop the rest of the mushrooms.
4. Peel and mince your cloves of garlic.
5. Hat the butter in a heavy pan over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms and garlic until the mushrooms are golden and have lost most of their moisture.
6. Set aside to cool.
7. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
8. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil and milk.
9. Mix in the crumbled goat cheese.
10. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones.
11. Carefully add the sautéed mushrooms and garlic.
12. Divide the batter between the muffin cups.  Top each muffin with the reserved slices of mushroom/ whole mushroom and one half of a cherry tomato.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
14. Enjoy warm.

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Morel, Pork and Asparagus Fresh Rolls

Who needs heavy pastas and meat-centred dishes during the sweat inducing height of summer. They are just perfect patio food. You don’t even need a fork or knife to eat them and they always please guests with their complex nature.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Elizabeth from Guilty Kitchen.

Prep Time: 30 mins. | Cook Time: 10 mins.

Ingredients

For the Pork:
500g Pork shoulder blade steak
1/4 cup black bean sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
For the Rolls:
250g asparagus
2 tsp grapeseed oil
sea or kosher salt, to taste
fresh cracked pepper to taste
105g rice vermicelli noodles
8g dried morel mushrooms (or use 115g fresh mushrooms such as shiitake or oyster)
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped fine
8 rice paper wrappers

Method

For the Pork:
1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for eight hours.
2. When done, pull apart with two forks. Set aside.
For the Rolls:
1. Place asparagus on a baking sheet and pour grapeseed oil over, rolling the asparagus around to coat. Season with salt and pepper and place in a 425°F oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil.
3. Set vermicelli noodles in large bowl. Pour boiling water over until just submerged. Allow to sit for five minutes and then drain.
3. Place dried morels in a small bowl and pour enough boiling water over to ensure they will reconstitute (about a cup should be fine). Set aside for 30 minutes. (if using fresh, simply chop into a find dice and set aside.)
4. To the rice vermicelli noodles, add the rice vinegar, sugar, 2 tbsp of water, 1 tsp of salt and garlic. Stir to coat.
5. Coarsely chop the morels (or fresh mushrooms). In a small sauté pan, heat the butter and add the mushrooms. Sauté for about five minutes, season with salt and pepper and add to the noodles. Stir in cilantro.
6. Fill a bowl with hot to the touch water and set out a tea towel. Soak one rice paper wrapper at a time for about 20 seconds or until it softens up. Lay out on the tea towel and dab it until it is just slightly moist. Place a portion of the noodle/morel mix in the centre. Lay a few stalks of roasted asparagus over, followed by a small handful of the pulled pork.
7. Fold the bottom up over the filling, then fold in the sides, then roll it towards the end until it is completely wrapped. Set aside and repeat until done.
8. Serve with sweet chilli sauce if desired.
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Mediterranean Mushroom-Stuffed Tomatoes

Well, when I was an exchange student living in Belgium, one of my host mothers’ specialties was tomatoes stuffed with a delicious mix of pork and beef mince and baked until tender – so tasty and warming on a cold winters’ day.  This recipe is a meatless version of this dish, with mushrooms as the star and works well in the warmer weather too. It’s also quick and easy to prepare and very versatile – I’ve included the vegetables I usually use with this, although you could just use what’s on hand.

Recipe courtesy of Mardi from eat. live. travel. write.

Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 40 mins. | Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 medium-large tomatoes
4 teaspoons table salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups mixed fresh mushrooms (e.g. a mix using 2-3 varieties – white button, crimini, portabella, shiitake, enoki, oyster or king oyster), diced
½ large zucchini, finely diced
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or mixed herbs (eg: oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary)
½ cup cooked pearl barley or wheat berries
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, for drizzling
Optional: fresh herbs for serving

Method

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Slice the tops off the tomatoes, reserve these as “lids.”
3. Scoop out the flesh and juice of the tomatoes into a bowl and mash until pulpy. Set aside.
4. Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with the salt and turn upside down on a paper towel to drain excess juice.  Set aside.
5. Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms, zucchini and herbes de Provence until “al dente” (you’re going to cook this mixture again in the oven so you don’t want to overcook at this point).
6. Add the reserved tomato flesh and the pearl barley/ wheat berries and stir to thoroughly combine.
7. Add the egg and Parmesan, stir well and remove from the heat.
8. Season to taste.
9. Rinse the salt out of the tomato halves and pat dry with a paper towel.
10. Fill the tomato halves with the mushroom mixture – packing tightly by pressing on the mixture with the back of a soup spoon.
11. Place the tomato halves on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
12. Place the tomato tops on each tomato, sprinkle with a little olive oil and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes until the filling is hot and the tomato flesh is slightly softened.
13. Optional: you can remove the tops from the tomatoes and sprinkle with some fresh herbs, replacing the tops to serve.
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