Little Ham and Egg Pies

Unusually, for someone who embraces Primal living, I don’t eat much meat. When I do it’s a) because 'fast' meat dishes like steak and salad are my go-to easy option when I'm just too busy or b) I believe it’s the best or only option available to me when I’m eating out. Either way, in spite of enjoying the taste of meat and knowing that it can in fact be a nutritionally sound choice, I’m usually at odds with my decision. 

I was in fact vegetarian for over a decade because I believe that the animal cruelty involved in factory farming of around two in every three farm animals today (that’s over 50 billion animals a year!) is an abomination; a testament to man's stupidity. Not only is our insatiable appetite for cheap food causing so much suffering to farm animals, it’s trashing the environment and fuelling climate change too. Quite apart from the stress and disease that cramming farm animals together causes, it seems obvious to me, and somehow only fair in the face of ‘farmaggedon’, that human health is also at risk. By eating meat from animals that have been routinely injected with drugs such as antibiotics and growth hormones and animals given unnatural animal feed - grains grown with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides - we’re exposing ourselves to disease too. So if you want to protect your health, the answer is to only eat pasture raised meat - namely, meat from animals that have been allowed to roam freely on lush grass. I recommend Green Pastures Farm. 

That said, these Little Ham and Egg Pies (original recipe from Simple Food by Jill Dupleix) have been a life-saver when I’m on the move and I’ve needed something quick and easy to eat. Tasty and sustaining, they really come into their own when we’re working flat-out at a Mirror Imaging wedding. Travelling between venues, Sarah drives whilst I feed these little protein packed morsels into both our mouths at the same time!

Also handy for a school lunch box, picnic fare, a high protein snack after a work-out, breakfast on the run, to serve with drinks, or served warm for a light supper or brunch. I’ve even converted the recipe into making ‘tiny’ ham and egg pie canapés using quails eggs and Parma ham! Little Ham and Egg Pies are all-rounders. They’ll keep for up to three days in a refrigerator. 

Little Ham and Egg Pies (Makes 12)

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil or butter

12 slices best quality ham

12 large organic free range eggs, preferably pastured

2 tbsp double cream

Sea salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp chopped parsley

4 tbsp Parmesan Reggiano, freshly grated

Instructions

Heat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉ / Gas mark 4

Lightly oil a 12 hole muffin tray with melted butter or olive oil

Line the base and most of the sides of each mould with a slice of ham. Break an egg into each hollow.

Drizzle a little cream over each 'pie' and scatter with sea salt, pepper, parsley and parmesan.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the egg is just set and starting to shrink away from the sides of the tin.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then run a small knife around the mould to loosen the ham and egg. Remove to a wire tray.

If there are any straggly pieces of egg white left on the bottom of the ham just wipe away for a neater appearance.

Eat warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Buy the best quality ham you can afford, preferably organic and free-range.

Your average slice of processed meat does not come from a grass-fed pastured animal so don’t base your diet around cured meats such as bacon, ham charcuterie etc.  A little eaten occasionally is okay but treat cured meats as an adjunct to vegetables, fruits and fresh meat.

Also, go easy on the salt when you’re seasoning these ham and egg pies because often processed ham is heavily salted already. 

Carbohydrate 0g Protein 13g - per serving

Mellanzane Parmigiana

The recent weather’s cold snap, which in our Edwardian property has to be endured even when the central heating is on 24/7, got me fantasising about a different kind of a life lived in the Mediterranean - specifically Italy. 

I’ve had several Italian friends (still do!) and am drawn by their unbridled warmth and generosity. They are my sort of people; the sort who love to relax, celebrate and socialise with family and friends. My understanding is that these celebrations most often centre around the table and an abundance of traditional Italian food. 

Since a trip to Naples is not do-able, today’s recipe injects a bit of that Italian sentiment and sunshine into an otherwise bleak January day (though it works just as well eaten ‘al fresco’ on a balmy summer’s evening).

A layered bake of aubergines, tomatoes and cheese is something of an Italian classic. My version has more than it’s fair share of cheese - I have used Cheddar as well as  the more usual mozzarella and Parmesan. The texture and richness make for a glorious vegetarian bake that will keep you warm from the inside out.

There was a time when bringing this dish together seemed somewhat onerous. So many processes…slicing and salting the aubergines, rinsing and drying them before pan-frying in batches in copious amounts of olive oil, making the tomato sauce, grating the cheese - all of which was required before assembling the final dish. It seemed like an awful lot of ‘faff’.

Anyway, necessity being the mother of invention I was forced to streamline the prep to something more manageable. In fact, because everything can be prepared in advance, this delicious bake is ideal for entertaining. 

We think if there was ever a meal that’s able to build a bridge between committed carnivores and ardent vegetarians, this gorgeous bubbling aubergine bake is definitely it.

Mellanzane Parmigiana (V) (Serves 4)

Ingredients

4 medium aubergines

80ml (3fl oz) olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 x 400g (2 x14oz) good quality tinned whole plum tomatoes (I favour Mr Organic)

200g (7oz) strong Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (I used Davidstow's vintage Cheddar cheese from Waitrose)

60g (2oz) Parmesan Reggiano, freshly grated

150g (5oz) buffalo mozzarella, sliced

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Large handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

2-3 drops liquid stevia (optional)

Instructions

Trim the aubergines and cut across into 1cm thick slices. Layer them up in a colander sprinkling each layer with salt as you go. Put a plate underneath the colander (to catch the juices) and another plate on top, weighted down with something heavy (I use a kettle filled with water) Set aside to drain for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put two tablespoons of olive oil into a medium pan on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes until it is soft but not coloured. 

Add the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a flat edged spatula into chunky pieces. Season with salt and pepper, give the mixture a good stir and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a gentle heat for 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 220℃ / 425℉ / Gas mark 7. Line two large baking trays with silicon baking mats or non-stick foil.

Wash the aubergine well under a running cold tap, then drain and dry on a clean tea towel.

Brush the aubergine slices on both sides with the remaining olive oil (I find it easiest to lay them all out on the two trays before oiling, I then brush oil over the uppermost side first before turning them over and doing the other side).

Roast the aubergine slices in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn them over and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until they’re nicely browned on both sides.

Meanwhile, reheat the tomato sauce, adjusting the seasoning if necessary. Add 2 or 3 drops of liquid stevia if it tastes too tart, then add the chopped basil.

When the aubergines are ready, take them out of the oven and turn onto a plate.

Switch the oven temperature down to 195℃. 

Get yourself an oven-to-table lasagne type dish (mine is 30cm x 24cm x 5½cm).

Spoon a little of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish, top with a layer of aubergines, some of the sliced mozzarella torn into smallish pieces and some of the Cheddar cheese. 

Continue with the layers until you’ve used up all the ingredients, finishing with the Cheddar. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes until crispy, bubbling and golden.

Serve with a crisp salad.

Carbohydrate 11g Protein 30g - per serving

Grilled Goats Cheese & Beetroot Salad

My first awakening to Chèvre Blanc goat’s cheeses’ melting, bubbly, golden goodness dates back to the early 1990’s, when we discovered a brilliant bustling French brasserie in Covent Garden called Le Palais Du Jardin (now closed). At the time, they served a salad of this fresh-tasting meltingly soft cheese with slices of poached pear and a balsamic dressing. 

The lively tang of goat's cheese served hot from the grill works equally well here with the earthy sweetness of beetroot, the peppery freshness of rocket (or watercress) and the piquancy of a simple vinaigrette. The whole dish coming together to great effect with the addition of some freshly chopped chives. I really like the contrast between the warm richness of cheese and cool vegetables.

The pink beetroot makes this salad as pretty as it is inviting. Since the 90’s, toasted goat’s cheese has become an enduring favourite for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. We had it today for a light lunch, but I also like to serve it as a starter to impress hungry dinner guests, which it always does! 

Grilled Goats Cheese & Beetroot Salad (V) (Serves 4)

Ingredients - For the salad

4 x 100g (3½ oz) Chèvre Blanc goat’s cheese (I like Waitrose’s Mild Chèvre Blanc)  

250g (9oz) ready-cooked organic beetroot, without vinegar

70g (2½oz) bag of rocket, washed and picked over

Ingredients - For the vinaigrette dressing

120ml (4½ fl oz) olive oil (I used half organic cold pressed olive oil and half organic cold pressed avocado oil)

40ml (1 ½ fl oz) organic raw apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp clear ‘runny’ raw organic honey, or maple syrup

1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped  

Instructions

Pre-heat the grill to high. 

First make the vinaigrette dressing. Mix the vinegar, sea salt, pepper, honey and mustard together in a medium sized bowl and give it a good whisk. Add the oil a small dash at a time, whisking well between each addition. Continue adding the oil until it is all amalgamated into vinaigrette. Check and adjust the seasoning if necessary (if it tastes a little tart, a single drop of liquid Stevia will help compensate). Alternatively, make my Fast & Easy Vinaigrette and shake in a lidded container.

Set aside 6 tablespoons of the vinaigrette dressing until you’re ready to serve the salad.

Thinly slice the beetroot (a mandoline slicer gives the quickest and neatest result).

Lay the beetroot slices so they overlap each other to form a circle in the centre of four plates. Drizzle a teaspoon of vinaigrette over each beetroot circle - keeping the plate clean. 

Line a baking tray or your wire grill rack with some non-stick foil. Place the goats' cheese rounds onto a baking sheet and place under the grill (about 3-4 inches from the heat) for 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and turning golden brown.

Whilst the goat’s cheese is grilling, lightly dress the rocket leaves in a tablespoon of vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Divide the dressed salad leaves between the four plates piling it up neatly on top of the beetroot.

When the cheese is ready, place one in the middle of each plate on top of the dressed leaves.

Add the chives to the remainder of the dressing and drizzle around the outside of each plate.

Notes:

For this recipe, you require slices of Chèvre Blanc goat’s cheese about 2.5 - 3cm thickness, rind-on, cut from a log. 

Keep the goat’s cheese rounds refrigerated in their original wrapping until you’re ready to grill them. You do not want them to disintegrate into a messy ‘pool’ before they’ve had chance to brown!

I’ve used the classic 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar for this vinaigrette but you can adjust amounts according to your taste. If the finished vinaigrette tastes too tart, try adding more oil (or a drop of liquid Stevia); if it tastes too greasy, add a little more vinegar (or lemon juice). As an alternative to hand-whisked french dressing, make a vinaigrette by putting all the ingredients into a lidded jar and then shake the whole lot vigorously together until they’re combined, adding the chives afterwards. See my recipe for Fast & Easy Vinaigrette.

Store the unused vinaigrette in a lidded container for future use. It will happily keep at room temperature for several days without spoiling, although it will eventually separate - in this case, just re-whisk or give it a good shake before using.

Carbohydrate 7g Protein 21g - per serving

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Canapés

I like cheese and biscuits but unfortunately most of the crisp-breads and crackers you can buy are made from grains and therefore totally incompatible with Primal eating. Here is an excellent alternative to starch-based crackers that we actually prefer to anything shop-bought. 

The starch-free, gluten-free, melt-in-the-mouth almond pastry used for today’s recipe is the brainchild of Jackie Le Tissier, author of Food Combining For Vegetarians. It has become almost legendary in our household. 

Using ground almonds instead of starch-based flour makes for an almost no-carb pastry that really is a brilliant substitute when making savoury or sweet tarts, canapés and crackers for cheese.

There are many variations of nut and seed pastry you can bake using different ground nuts and seeds - walnuts, pecans, poppy, caraway and sunflower seeds are some alternatives. However, this is our favourite ‘combo’.

Sarah is a dab hand at making these moreish mouthfuls and, since she espied some smoked salmon and Champagne in my fridge this morning, volunteered to get cooking. There is method in her madness, after photographing them for Primal Plate, she hopes to get to eat some of them later with a customary glass of fizz!  

It’s Burn’s night tonight, so why not? I’ll happily forego ‘neeps and tatties’ in favour of these traditionally peat-smoked Scottish salmon delicacies.

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Canapés - Makes 20 canapés (with approx 30 crackers-for-cheese leftover)

Ingredients

200g (7oz) ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp almond essence

25g (1oz) butter, melted

2-3 tbsp diluted milk (to dilute the milk, mix 2 tbsp milk & 2 tbsp water together) 

200g cream cheese (I like Waitrose’s Organic Creamy Cheese because it’s soft enough to use it straight from the fridge)

150g best quality smoked salmon 

Fresh dill

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 190℃ / 375℉.

Combine the ground almonds, baking powder and almond essence in a bowl.

Mix in the melted butter and diluted milk, stir everything in together with a fork. 

Bring the mixture together with your hand to achieve a firm but moist dough (the warmth of your hand will help to do this by releasing the oil in the nuts).

To stop the pastry from sticking to your work surface or rolling pin, roll out half the dough thinly between two sheets of cling film to 2-3mm thickness. Cut into rounds with a 1½ inch scone cutter and lift carefully onto a non-stick baking sheet. Gather up the offcuts and add them to the rest of the mix. Roll out the remaining dough and repeat as above.

Bake the biscuits for 8-12 minutes or until golden and firm in texture. Some of the crackers may be ready before others so remove these first onto a wire cooling rack, then put the rest back into the oven for another minute or two until they are all lightly and evenly browned.

Transfer to the wire rack and allow to cool completely. 

When you are ready to serve the canapés, pipe or spoon about 1 tsp of cream cheese onto each cracker. Divide the smoked salmon into 20 even pieces and top each canapé with a twirl of smoked salmon. For a final flourish garnish with a sprig of fresh dill and a twist of freshly ground black pepper.

Serve immediately with drinks.

Carbohydrate 1g Protein 3g - per canapé

Leek, Stilton & Walnut Stuffed Mushrooms

There is something so British about leeks in winter. I love their green sweet oniony softness, juxtaposed against the salty tang of blue Stilton cheese and the savoury earthiness of mushrooms. This is a happily vegetarian dish that’s as deeply umami flavoured as a beef steak and as warm and soothing as my Celtic sheepskin house boots!

It’s also a doddle to prepare.

Leek, Stilton & Walnut Stuffed Mushrooms (Serves 1 as a main course or 2 as an appetiser) (V)

Ingredients

2 large Portabello mushrooms (approximately 80g each)
1tbsp olive oil
1 medium to large leek (about 89g prepared weight), washed and thinly sliced
15g butter
30g walnuts, chopped or broken into smallish pieces
50g Stilton cheese, cut into small dice
40g creme fraiche
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 200℃, gas mark 6

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and remove the bottom of the stalk with a small sharp knife so it’s level with the gills.

Place the mushrooms stalk side up on a silicon baking mat (or a sheet of non-stick foil) on a baking tray. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

Cook in the pre-heated oven for about 6 minutes, or until the natural mushroom juices just start to appear on the surface of the mushroom. Take out of the oven and set aside.

In a lidded frying pan, melt the butter over a moderate heat. When it is foaming add the sliced leeks. Give the leeks a good stir to make sure they are evenly coated in the butter, then put the lid on the pan and gently cook the leeks for 5 minutes until they are soft but not coloured.

Take the frying pan off the heat and add the walnuts, the creme fraiche and the Stilton cheese to the leeks. Mix everything together well. Season with a pinch of salt (don’t go overboard as Stilton cheese is already quite salty) and a generous grinding of black pepper. Stir again and re-check the seasoning.

Divide the stuffing equally between the mushrooms (don’t worry about piling it too high, the mixture is quite well-behaved and won’t collapse in the heat of the oven).

Bake the stuffed mushrooms in the oven for a further 10 minutes until they are heated through and turning golden on the surface.

Serve immediately with a simple watercress or rocket salad, perhaps dressed with a little walnut oil and the finest balsamic vinegar you can find.

Yum!

Notes:

Without the walnuts, the creamy leek and mushroom sauce would make a delicious accompaniment to grilled chicken or steak

This recipe easily adapts to feeding more or less people by increasing or reducing the ingredients proportionately.

Carbohydrate 10g Protein 12g - per stuffed mushroom

Cream Of Celery Soup

Eaten raw, the crunchy, nutty-sweet flavour of fresh celery hearts can brighten up many a salad or, cut lengthways into sticks, offer a refreshing hand-to-mouth snack when loaded up with a creamy dip. 

However, I think celery really comes into it’s own when it’s cooked and transformed into something altogether more stylish, such as silky smooth celery soup. 

This Cream of Celery Soup is intensely savoury and the very thing to keep out the winter chill. Using the outer stems from a large head of Cook’s Celery stripped bare of fibrous stringy bits, this sophisticated soup is the prettiest shade of pale apple green and so unctuous that if you closed your eyes, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re eating a cream of chicken soup rather than vegetables!

I buy whole heads of celery because I prefer to prepare it myself. I use the outer stalks for cooking and the more tender inner stalks for eating raw. Usually, I buy organic celery for flavour but for this recipe I purchased some Limited Selection Cook’s Celery from Waitrose because it looked so fresh and green and, as the packaging said ‘grown for flavour’, there was no reason not to! 

Celery is thought to have a calming effect on the central nervous system and to promote a good night’s sleep, so this soup might be just the right thing for a light supper. It works equally well for lunch, a heart warming snack or as a starter for an elegant dinner party.

Cream Of Celery Soup (4 servings) (V)

Ingredients

1 large leek, cleaned and finely sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

600g (6 cups) celery stalks, chopped 

40g (3 tbsp) butter

600 ml (2½ cups) vegetable stock (made with Marigold Organic Bouillon Powder)

200 ml (⅞ cup) whole milk

60 ml (¼ cup) double cream

½ tsp nutmeg

1-2 tsp sea salt and freshly milled black pepper

Instructions

In a large pan melt the butter over a low heat.

To clean the leeks, trim the roots and inedible parts off the leek, then slit it up one side and fan it out under a running cold tap to make sure there's no soil left lurking between the leaves. Cut it in half lengthways, then in half again before slicing it across into thin pieces.

To prepare the celery, cut the top and bottom off the celery sticks, wash off any dirt, then thinly peel off any stringy bits from the outside of the stalks with a potato peeler before chopping into smallish pieces

When you've chopped the celery, onion and leeks, add them to the pan. Stir well, to evenly coat the vegetables with butter, then cover them with a circle of baking parchment or greaseproof paper - make sure the paper reaches the sides of the pan and push it down so it sits directly on top of the vegetables (this helps to keep the steam in, so the vegetables are less likely to brown) Cook very gently for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are translucent and soft. Do not let them brown.

Add the vegetable stock. Bring to simmering point, cover once more and cook gently for a further 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are really tender. Take the pan off the heat and add the milk. 

Puree the soup by blending it in batches, then return to the pan and stir in the cream. Season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.

Bring the soup back to the boil. Re-check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Just before serving, roughly chop the reserved celery leaves and sprinkle on top of the soup. 

Carbohydrate 16g Protein 4g - per serving

Luxury Fish Pie

I think a good fish pie is one of the greatest comfort foods there is.

Our no potato, no pastry, no grain Luxury Fish Pie is an adaptation of Jamie Oliver’s recipe and it’s what we’ll be having for a late lunch or early supper this weekend, perhaps with a glass of cold Riesling.

This recipe features celeriac mash instead of mashed potato and crème fraîche instead of bechamel sauce and is all the better for it. In fact, because celeriac mash is slightly softer than potato it is easier to spread on top of the pie. A finishing touch of grated parmesan crisps it up nicely. What’s not to love?

Simple to make (the quickest way to grate the vegetables and cheese is with the grater attachment on a food processor), it can be prepared in advance and cooked in a pre-heated oven half an hour or so before you want to sit down and eat.

All you need as an accompaniment are some cooked peas (frozen are fine) and/or a green salad. It really is luxurious enough for special occasions too. This is a perfect make-ahead recipe for relaxed entertaining.

Luxury Fish Pie (Serves 6)

Ingredients

250g (9 oz) salmon fillets (skinless weight)

250g (9 oz) undyed smoked haddock fillet (skinned, bones removed)

250g (9 oz) white fish fillets - e.g hake, haddock or cod (skinned, bones removed)

200g (1 ⅓ cup) raw peeled king prawns

2 medium to large carrots, coarsely grated

2 outer sticks of celery, coarsely grated

1 tbsp olive oil 

15g (2 tbsp) fresh parsley, finely chopped

150g (1 ½ cup) good quality strong cheddar cheese, coarsley grated

Lemon, juice of ½ and grated zest of whole, finely grated

225g (⅞ cup) full-fat crème fraîche

1.4 kg celeriac (3 lb) - unpeeled weight

50g (4 tbsp) butter

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

25g (¼ cup) ready-grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 200℃ Gas Mark 6.

First prepare the celeriac for the fish pie topping. Boil a kettle of water. Peel and chop the celeriac into 1 inch pieces. Place the cubes of celeriac in the top of a large steamer, pour boiling water from the kettle into the base pan of the steamer, cover with the pan lid and steam the celeriac for 15 minutes or until it is completely soft and cooked through (stick a sharp pointed knife in to check).

Whilst the celeriac is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick lidded pan over a medium heat. Add the grated carrot and celery to the pan and cook with the pan lid on for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.

Take off the celeriac off the heat and drain the water from the bottom of the steamer into a jug - this makes a really good vegetable stock for later use. Tip the cooked celeriac into the now empty base pan of the steamer and place back on a medium heat for a couple of minutes to drive off any excess moisture. Shake the pan from time to time or stir the celeriac with a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Do not allow it to colour.

When the water from around the celeriac has evaporated, tip the celeriac into a food processor with the butter and process it to a smooth puree. Season generously with salt and pepper. If you don’t have a food processor a hand-held stick blender will do nicely, as will a bog-standard potato masher if you’re feeling energetic! Re-check the seasoning and then set to one side whilst you assemble the pie.

Cut the fish into bite size chunks and season all but the smoked haddock with salt and pepper.

In an oven-to-table ceramic dish (mine is 12” x  9” x  2”) layer up the fish pie ingredients in the following order making sure that everything is evenly distributed: 

1. Grated vegetable & parsley mix
2. Fish chunks and prawns
3. Lemon zest and juice
4. Grated cheese
5. Spoonfuls of crème fraîche dotted over
6. Celeriac mash, spread evenly over the top of the fish pie, then roughed-up with a fork
7. Ready-grated parmesan, sprinkled evenly on top of the celeriac mash

Place in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. 

At the end of this cooking time, switch the oven grill to high and cook for a further 5 minutes under direct heat for a golden, crispy topping

Carbohydrate 9g Protein 42g - per serving

Tangy Mushroom Crostini

One of my best childhood memories was foraging for mushrooms with my Dad. Both field mushrooms and my father’s favourite, field blewitts, with their blue-lilac stems that we often found clumped together in ‘fairy rings’, used to be quite common in the pastureland and meadows of yesteryear. However, for me, nothing quite beat the excitement of finding pure white domes of edible goodness peaking out from under dew-laden grass, even if it meant the occasional slug finding it’s way inside my shoe! We even called our family cat “Gilly” because his fur was an unusual pinkish brown - almost the exact colour of the gills of a young mushroom.

 Chemical spraying and loss of habitat has all but destroyed the opportunity to discover, cook and enjoy the more flavourful wild mushrooms and most people now rely on cultivated mushrooms found on supermarket shelves instead. I suppose there is some compensation for the less than mushroomy flavour of cultivated mushrooms insofar that, alongside the more common white or chestnut varieties, more exotic looking fungi, Oyster, Shitake, Enoki, Crimini, Portabello and Beech Mushrooms, are all readily available too.

To add more flavour to sauces and soups, you can reconstitute dried mushrooms by soaking or simmering them in water before adding them to your chosen dish. For Vegetarians, the umami deliciousness of mushrooms can help fill the savoury flavour gap of vegetables and other non-animal based foods. Mushrooms are also officially recognised as a Superfood. Hence I reasoned that the next two Primal Plate recipes should both be for mushrooms on toast!

To prepare, don’t peel or soak mushrooms. If you soak mushrooms they absorb the water like a sponge and will then turn mushy when cooked. A quick light rinse under the tap is okay but ideally, if they’re not too grubby, simply cut off the bottoms of the stems and wipe them clean with a damp paper towel. Many herbs work well with earthy flavour of mushrooms but I particularly like the grassy accent of anise (tarragon) and parsley.

Tangy Mushroom Crostini is first up. This is an elegant interpretation of mushrooms on toast, suitable for entertaining. Coming soon... Creamy Mushrooms on Toast is more down-to-earth and makes for a relaxed breakfast, light lunch or filling snack at anytime.

Tangy Mushroom Crostini (Makes 8) (V)

Ingredients

1-2 day old refrigerated Grain-Free Bread, cut into 8 thin slices (no more than ½ cm thick)

4 tbsp olive oil

15g (1 tbsp) organic butter

225g (2 cups) mushrooms, wiped. I used a selection of chopped chestnut mushrooms and exotic mushrooms, either chopped or hand-teared into individual fronds.

1 tbsp brandy

1 generous tsp Dijon mustard

160ml (⅔ cups) crème fraiche

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 200℃ Gas Mark 6

Brush the bread slices on both sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Put the slices of on a baking sheet - actually, I prefer to use the wire rack of my oven grill to get lovely looking professional griddle stripes!

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool.

Heat the remaining oil together with the butter in a large non-stick frying pan.

Cook the mushrooms for 4 minutes over a high heat until golden.

Add brandy and cook for a few seconds more. Remove from the heat.

Mix the mustard and crème fraiche together and stir into the mushrooms. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spoon the mushrooms onto the crostini and sprinkle with parsley

Carbohydrate 5g Protein 3g - per crostini