Braised mushrooms with spelt, baby gem, tofu dressing and pumpkin seed pesto

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These braised mushrooms are paired with nutty spelt, a smooth tofu dressing, grilled baby gem lettuce and a simple pumpkin seed pesto for a truly showstopping naturally vegan main. The combination of textures and earthy, savoury flavours come together to prove that vegan cooking has become a thrilling cuisine in its own right.

First published in 2019

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Braised mushrooms

Spelt

  • 80g of spelt, use whole spelt if possible but pearled is fine

Tofu dressing

Pumpkin seed pesto

Baby gem

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • Hand blender

Method

1
To begin, cook the spelt according to the packet instructions. Set aside and keep warm or gently reheat just before serving
  • 80g of spelt
2
To make the tofu dressing, place all the ingredients into a small blender and blitz until smooth. Season to taste and set aside
3
To cook the mushrooms, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. When hot, add the mushrooms, skin-side down, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Brown well then turn over. In a separate bowl, whisk together the miso paste and tamari with 4 tablespoons of water until smooth. Add this to the pan and gently simmer the mushrooms until they are cooked through (around 5–8 minutes)
4
While the mushrooms are cooking, make the pesto. Place all ingredients into a food processor with 2 tablespoons of water and pulse until combined but still a little chunky. Season to taste and set aside
5
To cook the baby gem, heat a small frying pan over a high heat. Add the olive oil and, when hot, place the gem halves in the pan, cut-side down. Leave to cook for a few minutes until nice and golden brown on the flat side
6
To serve, place a large spoonful of the tofu dressing in the bottom of each bowl. Divide the spelt between each bowl then add the mushrooms, along with any remaining pan juices. Finish with the pesto and baby gem halves. Garnish with parsley and parsley cress, if desired
  • parsley cress, (optional)

From New Zealand law student to the opening of her first solo sustainable restaurant Apricity (which won a Michelin green star in 2023), Chantelle Nicholson’s hard work and determination – especially in evolving free-from and plant-based cooking at the highest level – has cemented her reputation as one of the UK's most forward-thinking chefs.

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