Man Up! to Mushrooms this Father’s Day!

With Father’s Day coming, it’s a reminder that we should look out for the health of the men in our lives and the good news is that delicious mushrooms on their plate will show that we really care!

Why? Because mushrooms are rich in selenium and research indicates selenium can play a positive role in the prevention of prostate cancer, the second most common cancer after lung cancer.

They’re rich in selenium (a half-cup serving of cooked sliced white button mushrooms – 1 cup of raw mushrooms – provides 11% of the RDI for selenium) and research indicates that selenium-rich foods may lower the likelihood of developing prostate cancer and slow prostate tumor progression.

A new research study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research, in Washington, D.C. on April 9 this year by Milan Geybels, a doctoral candidate in cancer epidemiology at Maastricht University in Maastricht, the Netherlands, found that, among a group of almost 60,000 men aged 55 to 69, those with the highest selenium levels, as measured in toenail clippings over the study period, had more than a 60% reduced risk for advanced prostate cancer.

Mushrooms are a leading source of selenium in the fruit and vegetable category, available in the fresh produce isle 365 days of the year. The real beauty of selenium found in mushrooms is that its concentrations appear to be similar before and after being cooked. One 100gm serving of mushrooms provides 8-22ug selenium; about 1/2 of the daily recommended amount.

So how does selenium work its magic? It’s an antioxidant and protects the body cells from damage that might lead to heart disease, some cancers and other diseases of aging. It also has been found to be important for the immune system and could also play a role in fertility in men.

And there you have it! Now all you have to do is make sure that you throw a handful of mushrooms into every dish you serve – your man will love you for it!

Mixed Mushroom Braai for Father’s Day

Ingredients:

• 100g Baby button mushrooms
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 200g Portabellini mushrooms
• 200g Portabello mushrooms
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp dried pregano
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 100g White button mushrooms
• 100g Portabellini mushrooms
• 3 bell peppers (red, yellow and green)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 450g assorted bell peppers
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Tomato & Onion Gravy:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red onions, halved and sliced
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 500g very ripe tomatoes (can be a mix)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, parsley, oregano and thyme work well
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Prepare your braai and allow coals or wood to burn down, or preheat a gas braai on medium.

Baby button kebabs:

1. In a bowl combine the baby button mushrooms along with the olive oil, the dried mixed herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
2. Toss well to coat and allow to marinade for about 30 minutes.
3. Thread 4 to 5 baby buttons onto small skewers.
4. Braai them on medium hot heat for 7 to 10 min.

Grilled whole portabellos and portabellinis:

1. In a large bowl combine the olive oil, chilli flakes, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Toss to coat well. Braai mushrooms top down to start
3. Then flip after 5 to 7 min and continue to cook until the mushrooms are just becoming tender.

Grilled white button and portabellini kebabs:

1. Cut the bell peppers into 3 cm square pieces.
2. On a long kebab stick alternate between white buttons, portebellinis and bell peppers.
3. With a pastry brush, generously brush each kebab with olive oil.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on the braai, turning the kebabs a quarter turn every 2 to 3 min.
5. Cook until the mushrooms begin to get tender and the peppers begin to pick up color on their edges.

Braaied peppers:

1. Brush the peppers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place on a hot braai and cook until the peppers are slightly blistered on all sides.

For the tomato and onion gravy:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onions until tender.
2. Add all the ingredients to the pot and allow the sauce to simmer for at least an hour.

Place all components on a board and serve with a side salad, fresh bread or pap.