Each month, we bring you delicious, nutritious, and eco-friendly recipes that our staff members or followers love! This month’s recipe is Red wine braised Mushrooms from our People in Conservation Specialist, Jenny Botha.

Red Wine Braised Mushrooms

Braising is an easy, quick and approachable way of creating layers of flavour and texture – by searing (and therefore slightly caramelising) the exterior of a vegetable before cooking it through in a flavourful liquid. The easy process results in tender and deeply savoury vegetables that become buttery and silky in texture in under an hour. This recipe uses mushrooms which, once crisped and cooked in tomato, red wine and vegetable stock, mimic the richness and depth of meat-based ragout. I like to use a combination of portobello and oyster mushrooms, as I find they add texture and complexity to the dish, but you can also use shiitake or king oyster – make sure you shred (if using kind oyster) or slice them (if using shiitake) thinly.

Cook time: 45 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200 g portobello mushrooms
• 200 g oyster mushrooms
• 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil, separated
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 50 g tomato paste
• 60 g red wine
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

• 10 g chives, finely sliced
• Plant-based parmesan optional
• Mashed potatoes, polenta, or crusty bread

Instructions

• Start by preparing the mushrooms. Finely slice the portobello mushrooms and set them aside. Next, use your hands to pull the oyster mushrooms apart into shreds.
• Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large, heavy-set pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pot and stir to coat them in the oil. Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed, for 6-7 minutes, until golden brown on the heat-facing side.
• Stir the mushrooms, then let them cook for 5-6 more minutes, undisturbed, until crisp and golden brown in most places. Stir in ¼ tsp salt, then transfer the mushrooms into a bowl. Set them aside.
• Add the remaining tbsp oil to the pot and heat over medium heat. Add the finely sliced shallots, and sauté them for 7-8 minutes, until soft. Add the smashed cloves of garlic and continue sautéeing for 4-5 more minutes.
• Add the cooked mushrooms back into the pot, and stir to coat them in the shallots. Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 2-3 minutes – until it darkens in colour and starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Add the wine and stir to deglaze the pot. Cook the wine down for 2-3 minutes, then add the vegetable stock, ¼ tsp salt and the bay leaf.
• Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the mushrooms in the stock for 12-15 minutes – until the liquid has reduced and created a thick sauce.
• Add the black pepper, then taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Cover the pot and let the braised mushrooms sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Remove the bay leaf and the cloves of garlic.
• Serve the mushrooms with mashed potatoes, polenta or toasted bread, and top them with chopped chives and parmesan.