Mushroom Grain Bowls with Green Goddess Dressing

As astonishing as new mushrooms blooming into life have been the generous kindness of the South African public to breast cancer survivors in 2020!

Together a record amount for breast cancer survivors was raised!

Despite a pandemic, lockdowns and financial hardships in the year of Covid-19, South Africans have very generously contributed a record R692 784 for Reach for Recovery’s Ditto Project – the highest amount raised since the project’s inception in 2010.

The money comes from the Power of Pink campaign, which is the sale of fresh mushrooms in pink punnets at Pick n Pay stores every October.

R1 from each punnet goes to Reach for Recovery, which provides silicone breast prostheses to breast cancer survivors who cannot afford breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.

Knowing that purchasing a punnet of mushrooms can make such a big difference, we felt like sharing some of our favourite recipes making these small but versatile vegetables.

• Mushroom Grain Bowls with Green Goddess dressing
• Umami Mushroom Rigatoni
• Caprese Mushroom Zoodles

Mushroom Grain Bowls with Green Goddess Dressing

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 cup packed fresh herbs
• (chives, coriander, parsley and dill work very well together)
• ¼ cup spring onions, chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
• Pinch sea salt flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper

Quick pickled cauliflower:

• 300g cauliflower florets
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp sea salt flakes
• 1 Tbsp sugar

Bowls:

• 4 cups mixed grains, cooked (farro, spelt, barley & wild rice work very well together)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 500g mixed mushrooms, white buttons, portabellinis & baby buttons
• 170g fresh asparagus spears, very lightly blanched
• 110g shelled edamame beans
• Zest & juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup spring onions, thinly sliced
• Fennel fronds or fresh dill, to serve
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

For the dressing:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, food processor or nutribullet.
2. Process until smooth, adding a splash of ice cold water to thin it out until desired consistency.
3. Taste, to adjust salt and pepper.
4. Scrape into a jar and keep in the fridge.

For the pickled cauliflower:

1. Combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Slice off the pretty top bits of the cauliflower florets and discard the thick stems.
3. (Use stems in a soup or stir fry!)
4. Add trimmed cauliflower to a heat-proof jar or bowl. Pour over the pickling liquid and allow to cool. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

For the bowls:

1. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing them often until just tender and golden brown. Season.

Further:

1. In a large mixing bowl add the grains, mushrooms, asparagus spears, edamame beans, lemon zest, lemon juice and spring onions. Toss.
2. Spoon into bowls. Scatter over some pickled cauliflower.
3. Top with fennel fronds or dill and finally a generous drizzle of green goddess dressing.