Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith

Extra Bites

This week on Cooking the Books, we hear the massive story of this year’s favourite ingredient, the not so humble mushroom. Elliot Webb, founder of Urban Farm It is all about disrupting the food system and growing your own. His book Growing Mushrooms at Home: The Complete Guide to Knowing, Growing and Loving Fungi isn’t just a manual, but a fascinating insight into why we should join him on his mission.Click on his video for a very exciting find on his forage last weekend, and then get cooking with these fabulous recipes from Urban Farm-its recipe book.LION’S MANE MUSHROOM STEAKINGREDIENTS: 2 to 3 Lion's Mane mushrooms (each thesize of a large grapefruit)For the Marinade:1 cup boiling water1 shot red wine (optional)1⁄4 cup olive oil (add more if desired)1 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons beet powder2 tablespoons sage & onion seasoning blend1 tablespoon granulated garlic1 tablespoon granulated onion1 tablespoon black pepperHOW TO MAKE:In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredientsSlowly whisk in the wet ingredients, reserving the oil for lastMarinade for 30 minutes to overnightSqueeze the marinade out from the Lion’s Mane mushroomsIn a medium hot cast-iron skillet add a little oilCarefully add the mushroom and cook for a couple minutes before pressing with asecond skillet Flip and repeat, do this until golden charred on each side and pressedto desired thicknessCheck out the recipe video for detailsPEKING LION’S MANE LETTUCE CUPSINGREDIENTS:450g Lion’s Mane mushrooms, segmented into florets1⁄4 cup tamari1⁄4 cup cooking sake3 tbsp rice vinegar2 inches of ginger, grated4 cloves of garlic, crushed3 tbsp cornflour2 tbsp olive oilTo ServeGluten Free Hoisin Sauce (shop bought orhomemade)3 Baby gem lettuce, leaves gently removedto make cups1 cucumber, cut into thin strips1 bunch of spring onions, cut into thin strips1 red chilli, slicedHOW TO MAKE:Preheat the oven to 175c and line 2 baking sheets with parchmentWhisk together the tamari, sake, vinegar, ginger andgarlic and pour over the lions mane mushrooms,using your hands (or two spoons) massage themixture into them wellThen sprinkle over the cornflour and mix again thendrizzle with olive oil and mix againSpread the mushrooms out over the lined bakingsheets and place in the ovenCook for 25minutesPrepare the vegetables and when the mushroomsare brown and crispy remove and assembleLION’S MANE, LENTIL & WALNUT RAGUINGREDIENTS:3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil1 large onion, finely chopped2 carrots, peeled and diced2 sticks of celery, diced1⁄2 fennel bulb, diced4 large garlic cloves, crushed1 red bell pepper, sliced and diced450g lion’s mane mushrooms, gently segmented into florets225g canned green lentils, drained100g walnuts, finely chopped1 can (400ml) peeled, chopped tomatoes250ml passata2 tbsp apple cider vinegar250ml red wine1 tbsp organic tomato paste1 tbsp dried oregano1 tsp ground cumin2 tsp smoked paprika powder1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes1 tsp veg bouillon3 tbsp Tamarisea salt & black pepper to tasteGnocchiFresh OreganoHOW TO MAKE: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy based, lidded saucepanAdd the Lion’s Mane mushroom and fry until golden brown,then remove from the pan and set asideAdd the chopped onions, fennel, celery, carrot and garlic,sauté for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are slightly soft —but not brownAdd the peppers, oregano. spices, red wine, apple cidervinegar, tomato paste, passata, tinned tomatoes, tamari andveg bouillon and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce begins tothickenThen add the mushrooms, stirring gently and allow to cook onmedium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionallyAdd the drained lentil and chopped walnuts and cook for anextra 5 minutesCook the gnocchi per instructions then in a frying pan heatsome olive oil and throw in some fresh oregano leaves and thegnocchi and fry until golden and the oregano crispyTaste the ragu, adjust seasoning and serve Get full access to Gilly Smith's Substack at gillysmith.substack.com/subscribe

Claudia Roden: The Book of Jewish Food

This week, Gilly is at the home of the queen of food writing, the original collector of Middle Eastern and Jewish food and grande dame of food and identity, Claudia Roden.As they celebrate 25 years of Claudia's internationally acclaimed Book of Jewish Food, they discuss the foods in our repertoire now that have been hidden in the kitchens of the Jewish diaspora for centuries - until Claudia wrote them into our world. The influence of the book is a phenomenon; from Alistair Little to Sam and Sam Clark at The Eagle and then at Moro, to Yotam Ottolenghi's 'veg forward' revolution in the early 2000s, Roden's collection of stories and recovered recipes are at the heart of modern British food culture.In this extended Holiday special, she talks about all the things that are good in life – beautiful recipes passed down through matriarchies, storytelling that binds communities and the universal pleasure of food that matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Gilly Smith's Substack at gillysmith.substack.com/subscribe

Cindy-Marie Harvey: Watercress, Willow and Wine

This week, Gilly is talking Christmas wines with Cindy-Marie Harvey whose beautiful book, Watercress, Willow and Wine tells the story of the English vineyards which are creating a revolution in wine. Climate change has not just warmed the soils in England, but also focussed a new movement of sustainable producers to think laterally about how local wine pared beautifully with local, seasonal food can help to save the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Gilly Smith's Substack at gillysmith.substack.com/subscribe

Lerato: Africana

This week, Gilly is off to find Christmas – and a whole lot more - in Africana, the debut cookbook from the new voice in pan African food, Lerato who whisks us off on a tour of the latest obsession in culinary cultures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Gilly Smith's Substack at gillysmith.substack.com/subscribe

Melissa Thompson: Motherland

This week, Gilly is with the queen of the Fowl Mouths supper club, BBC Good Food contributor, co-director of the British Library Food Season and now, author, Melissa Thompson.Her debut cookbook, Motherland is the story of the Jamaica that was her father’s family home. As she traces its history through its food, she uncovers the stories of its people, its struggles and its resourcefulness - as well as its delicious food.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Gilly Smith's Substack at gillysmith.substack.com/subscribe