Meatless mushrooms

According to recent articles in newspapers and magazines, a majority of us are turning from meat eaters to vegetables and fish.  This is definitely true in our household (gearing up with the seed catalogues for my spring vegetable planting!) and we try to eat 2 or 3 times a week vegetable and/or certainly fish dishes. It is difficult sometimes to make it all not so bland though so I am really hoping you will find this (meaty without the meat) mushroom dish will tickle your tastebuds!

Mushroom Strogonoff

• 1 small red onion
• 1 -2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon English mustard
• 120 – 150grams quartered mushrooms (this can be all chestnut or mixed mushrooms)
• 1/2 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 125 ml hot water
• 1/2 pot crème fraiche or 1/2 pot sour cream (if you haven’t got either but you do have cream just add a little lemon juice and leave to stand a few minutes)

In a wide based pan, melt a little butter and oil and gently cook the onions and garlic.  Add the mushrooms and seasoning and cook without stirring until caramelized.  Add the stock, paprika and mustard and cook for another few minutes.  If it seems a little too liquidy, cook hard to reduce it. OFF the heat, add the crème fraiche/cream and stir altogether.  Traditionally, this is served with boiled rice but I have also served this with linguine and other pasta types so this bit is up to your own creative genius! Sprinkle with parsley – and, for an extra layer of texture, quartered slices of fried bread (in butter, of course!)