“M” Is For Mushroom

In September of 2013, I had the good fortune of being able to go on my very first retreat. By myself (i.e. sans children or husband). In beautiful British Columbia, Canada. With focus on yoga, mindfulness, and delicious food. The place was called Quantum Leap Lodge, just outside of Golden, and they *just* posted their retreat list for 2014 – which got me very excited about choosing one for this year (and which reminded me that I still need to do a photo post about that wonderful long weekend – where does the time go???) Anyhow. I decided to cook up one of the lovely meals that I enjoyed whilst there, so I pulled out the cookbook that they’ve created, and I got to work on “Shiitake Mushroom Cakes” and “Mushroom Miso Gravy”. I will post the recipes as intended in black, and because I rarely stick to recipes verbatim, add my amendments in colour.

Shiitake Mushroom Cakes: (half-recipe plus amendments in purple)

• 1 cup Pine Nuts     1/2 cup
• 1 cup Quinoa     1/4 cup red + 1/4 cup white
• 1tbsp Vegetable Oil     pat of Butter + 1 tbsp Olive Oil, plus some for baking sheet
• 1 large Onion, minced     1 small Onion
• 2 tsp Garlic, minced     4 cloves
• 1/4 lb Shiitake Mushrooms, diced small     100g (a package I got at Superstore)
• 1 tbsp Parsley     1 tbsp dry
• 1 tbsp Fresh Basil (1/2 tsp dry)     1 tbsp dry
• 1 tbsp Fresh Sage (1/2 tsp dry)     1 tbsp dry
• 2 eggs     only 1
• 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese   1/4 cup
• 1+1/2 cup Asiago or Parmesan Cheese, grated     3/4 cup Parmesan
• 2 tsp Ground Dry Porcini Mushrooms (optional)     omitted
• 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast     1 tbsp
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt     dash
• 1/4 tsp Fresh Black Pepper     bigger dash
• 1 cup Mushroom Stock (made from an organic Bouillon Cube)
• 1/2 cup Panko crumbs (as my mixture seemed a little too moist)
  

1. Cook the quinoa in a medium pot with 2 cups water (I used mushroom stock here). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and spoon into a large mixing bowl.

2. Toast the pine nuts in a pan until they turn a golden brown. Let cool, then chop finely (I mashed them with a mortar and pestle so there were big and little pieces) and add to quinoa.

3. Heat oil (and butter) in a large saute pan on medium heat, add the onion, and saute until translucent.

4. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and fresh (dried) herbs. Let cook 10 minutes, or until all the moisture has evaporated.

5. Whisk the eggs, then add them to the quinoa along with the cooked mushrooms, ricotta, asiago (Parmesan), dried mushrooms (nope), nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. And Panko. Mix thoroughly.

6. With moist hands, form 10 cakes (I got 8 cakes, using about 1/3 cup for each) about 5″ wide by 1″ thick. Place cakes on a well oiled baking sheet and bake at 350F for 40 minutes, flipping carefully half way through.

Mushroom Miso Gravy:

• 1 small Onion, small dice
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp Olive Oil     pat of Butter + 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 cups sliced White or Brown Mushrooms     100 g (1 pkg) Oyster Mushrooms
• 3 cups Vegetable Stock     2 cups Mushroom Stock, from organic Bouillon Cube
  
• 1/4 cup Flour     2 tbsp
• 2 tbsp Miso, dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water     1 pkg Miso Soup Mix (“in a cup” like, as I couldn’t find plain Miso)
  
• 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast     omit
• 2 tbsp Braggs or Soy Sauce     omit
• 1/4 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

1. In a medium pot (I used the same pan I did the cakes onions in), saute onion and garlic in the oil (and butter) until golden. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned.

2. Add the flour and stir to coat, keep stirring for 1 minute to toast the flour.

3. Add the stock and stir well. (I added 2 cups water + Mushroom bouillon cube + the Miso pkg and pepper, all premixed). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and let cook 15-20 minutes. (Stirring occasionally.)

4. Remove from heat, whisk in the dissolved miso, nutritional yeast, braggs, and pepper. (I omitted all of this as the soup mix and mushroom bouillon were salty and flavourful enough…)

At Quantum, the mushroom cakes were served with some roasted garden veggies and a variety of salads (seen above). I chose to serve them with some steamed broccoli and a few small, seared scallops (just in case my husband didn’t like the mushroom cakes – I wanted to have something else he could eat too). But. They were a bit too much of an effort to be served as a regular “side” dish – although they are and would be perfectly wonderful to have as a main dish. Filling and delicious!!!

Mmmmm… M-ushrooms! (Oyster cluster, seen above.) As for the M-indfulness, try eating them in silence or with your eyes closed (as the retreat leader Tracey suggested), to increase your focus on them and the M-oment. 😉

P.S. If you would like a copy of their cookbook, I’m sure Annette at Quantum would be more than happy to mail you one! I think it was around $20 plus shipping…