Stuffed Mushrooms a Winner!

There has been some serious eating and drinking going on in the eat quaff laugh household recently and it doesn't look like settling down any time soon!  A charity dinner tomorrow night, a dinner party on Saturday, plus another one next week, it's going to be a busy lead up to Christmas.

After a weekend away to celebrate my nephews first birthday, catching up with family and friends who I haven't seen in a while, eating and drinking lots of fancy meals, it's time for something a bit healthier.

After being exhausted following the busy weekend and flying solo with the kids, I knew that something simple was going to be needed for dinner. I had a few bits and pieces left over in the fridge, but after a quick dash to the shops, decided a vego meal was in order.

Stuffed mushrooms are such an easy meal, whether it be for lunch or dinner, and you can more or less fill them with anything you like. It's a great way to use up those little bits and pieces that are in the fridge or cupboard as you want the flavours to all meld together to create something yummy.

I picked up a couple of big swiss brown mushrooms and some sweet corn that was on special from the fruit and veg shop to create the base for this meal. With some stale bread, a piece of feta, tomatoes and fresh herbs, I quickly whipped up something delicious. Even though this was a last minute meal, it will become a regular in our house, especially when we need a night off from heavy, rich food.

To go with the mushies, I wanted a nice fresh salad, and that's where the corn came into it. I love the combination of corn and feta and have made this salad many times before. What made tonight's version a little bit more special was the dressing. Given to me by my Mother in Law after a trip to Tasmania, this Ashbolt dressing was divine.  Made with extra virgin olive oil, elderflower concentrate, vinegar and mustard, it was a little bit different to your standard dressing. With a bit of sweetness and a bit of acidity, it was the perfect match to the sweet corn. Definitely one worth looking out for, as it was beautiful!

Stuffed Mushrooms

2 large swiss brown or portabello mushrooms
1 slice of slightly stale bread, cut into small cubes
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
A handful of baby spinach leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil


Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Prepare the mushrooms by cutting away the stalk at the base to make a nice cup for holding the filling.
Place mushrooms on a lightly greased oven tray and drizzle with a little oil.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften and release their juices.
While the mushies are cooking, prepare the filling.

Finely chop the mushroom stalks and combine in a bowl with the chopped bread, tomatoes, garlic, spinach and a drizzle of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Take the mushrooms out of the oven and carefully pile the filling into them. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the bread cubes are crusty.
Serve with the corn and feta salad.

Corn And Feta Salad

4 cobs of corn, husk and silks removed
100g feta, cut into cubes
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Ashbolt salad dressing, or dressing of your choice

Wash corn cobs to remove any grit and remaining silks, then boil in a saucepan of salted water for about 4 minutes, or until the kernels are plumped and soft.
Drain and allow to cool.
When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cobs using a sharp knife.
Place the kernals in a bowl with the chopped feta and parsley, and combine.
Dress the salad with your favourite dressing and serve.