Pickled zucchini, Mushroom and Roast Carrot Salad with Dukkha

Why Pickled zucchini, mushroom and carrot salad?

Salads during summer are ideal – fresh lettuces, ripe summer tomatoes and sweet balsamic. During winter however, salads need to be revamped.

Although you will find tomatoes all year round – the flavour of one during summer will never compare.

This salad of fresh pickled zucchinis with roasted dutch carrots and raw mushrooms has the crunch you want in a salad along with great flavours.

Ingredients
1 punnet of baby zucchini (or 3 small zucchini)
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 tbs chopped mint
100ml white wine vinegar
1 bunch baby carrots, washed and trimmed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs dukkah
100g small king mushrooms (substitute with swiss browns or button mushrooms), sliced

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.

Slice the baby zucchini in half length ways, if using regular zucchini slice into half moons. Place in a bowl and sprinkle over 1 tbs of flaked sea salt (¼ tsp regular salt). Gently toss.

In a separate bowl whisk together the garlic, mint and vinegar*. Pour over the zucchini and leave to pickle while you prepare the carrots.

Slice the carrots in half length ways. Toss with 2 tbs of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a lined tray. Bake for 15 minutes until they are golden but still with a little bite.

Sprinkle with dukkha and set aside.

Remove the zucchini from the pickling juices and place in a large bowl. Gently toss together with the carrots, mushrooms, remaining olive oil and 2 tbs zucchini pickling vinegar.

Serve sprinkled with herbs.

Serves 4.
Bon Appetite

*You can store pickled zucchinis in an airtight container in their juices for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Pan Fried Shitake Mushrooms with Wasabi and Soy Butter and Pork Cutlets

Fresh shitake mushrooms are far different from regular varieties and are my favourite type to cook with. Flavour wise, they are rich, buttery, meaty and a little smoky. They are never dirty or gritty, and have a much firmer texture when cooked (having less water content than other mushrooms).

This recipe for wasabi and soy butter shitake mushrooms is addictive. The wasabi adds a much needed horseradish like heat, the soy, some salt, while the butter, we all know is perfect with mushrooms.

Try these mushrooms served on toast, boiled rice, noodles or my favourite with pork cutlets.

60g unsalted butter, soften
2 tsp wasabi paste
¼ cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
250g fresh shitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
1 birds eye chilli
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 pan fried pork cutlets
1 bunch garlic chives, blanched

For the butter, place the softened butter, wasabi paste, coriander salt and pepper in a small food processor. Process until combined and set aside.

(You can make this butter ahead of time and roll it into a log wrapped in cling film. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week)

Meanwhile heat a large frypan over medium high heat. Without oil, add the mushrooms, whole garlic and chilli. Cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing until the mushrooms start to smell fragrant and catch on the bottom of the fry pan. Add the butter and turn the heat up to high.

Cook tossing for 2-3 minutes or until foaming. Add the soy sauce and toss.

Serve the mushrooms immediately with pork cutlets and garlic chives.

Serves 2

Bon Appetite