Thoughts Overflow: February 2011

Monday, 14 February 2011

Mushroom & Onion bake

Ingredients (serves 2)

225g (8oz) mushrooms, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large eggs
275ml (1/2 pint) skimmed or soya milk
rapeseed or corn oil for cooking
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper
(Ham, chopped, if required)

This is similar to a quiche, but without the pastry.

1) Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and soften for a few minutes.

2) Add the mushrooms and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add the ham if using.

4) Arrange evenly in the bottom of a greased dish.

5) Whisk the eggs and milk together and season with the salt & pepper.

6) Pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms and bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 4, 180c for about 35 minutes, or until the centre is set.

7) Serve immediately.

If you have any other vegetables, courgettes, tomatoes maybe, add these to the mushrooms in the dish before you add the egg mixture.

I wondered why you had to cook the mushrooms so long the first time I made this. It was because there's so much juice that comes off them as they cook down, that they swamp the egg mixture & it won't set properly. This was easily remedied by draining it off, but not necessary if you cook them down first!

Tomato & Butter Bean Casserole

Ingredients (serves 4)

15ml (1 tbspn) canola or corn oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and diced or thinly sliced
1 Yellow Pepper, deseeded and diced or thinly sliced
10g (2 tspn) ground ginger
3 Tomatoes, sliced (or 400g tin chopped tomatoes)
5g (1 tspn) Splenda/sweetener
2 x 400g cans Butter Beans, drained
2 tspn hot paprika
Freshly ground Black Pepper

1) Heat the oil in a large frying pan.

2) Add the onion, peppers and ginger and cook for several mins until the onions are soft.

3) Add the tomatoes and splenda and cook for 5-6 minutes.

4) Stir in the Butter Beans and paprika, season with pepper. Heat through for a few minutes until the beans are hot, then serve.

Posting this as requested by Caroline & Anila for a dinner suggestion. I'll add a photo next time I make it.