Crispy Enoki Mushrooms with Roasted Vegetables
We had the amazing opportunity to visit Budva recently thanks to Budva Travel, a city steeped in history and culture - with a mission from @budva.travel to take the most traditional and tasty Montenegrin dishes, and make them plant-based.
This time around we took on a classic, octopus cooked "under the lid". Obviously we replaced that seafood with super crispy enoki mushrooms - and it worked a treat. Mushrooms are such an amazing substitute for meat and fish thanks to their texture and bite. Make sure you try this one at home!
Serves
Ingredients
For the vegetables
<item-todo-done>500g new potatoes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 large carrots<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 fennel roots<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>200g fresh tomatoes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>200g baby onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>6 cloves garlic<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ bunch of fresh rosemary<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ bunch of fresh thyme<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>50g almonds<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>300ml white wine<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 sliced spring onions<item-todo-done>
For the mushrooms
<item-todo-done>50g cornflour<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>50g plain flour<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp paprika<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>6 small bunches enoki mushrooms, ends removed<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> salt and pepper to taste<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Knives | Chopping Boards | Large Baking Dish/Casserole pan | Saucepan for frying | Mixing bowl | Large plate lined with paper towel | Mixing bowl | Prongs for frying | Slotted spoon | Serving plates | Serving bowls | Wooden spoons for cooking | Hob for cooking | Oven | Serving spoon | Tablespoon | Ramekins for measuring out ingredients
Prepare the vegetables
- Halve the new potatoes.
- Cut the carrots and fennel into small bite-sized chunks.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes.
- Strip the rosemary and thyme leaves from their stalks, discard the stalks and chop the leaves roughly.
- Peel the baby onions and garlic cloves.
Roast the vegetables
- Place the new potatoes, carrot chunks, fennel pieces, baby onions and garlic cloves into the baking dish.
- Drizzle over a good amount of olive oil before adding the leaves from the rosemary and thyme.
- Add the white wine, sugar, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Mix well until everything is coated in the oil before cooking in the oven for 35 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and almonds
- After 35 minutes of cooking, mix through the almonds and tomatoes.
- Place back in the oven for 15 more minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through.
While the vegetables are cooking, cook the mushrooms
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the enoki mushroom clumps and mix well until they are coated.
- Place a large pan over a medium heat and add approx. 1 cm of vegetable oil to the base of the pan.
- Once warm enough to fry, add the enoki mushroom clumps and cook for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, turning over as you cook.
- Once done, transfer to the plate with the paper towel and leave to one side until needed.
Finish the dish
- Slice the spring onions very finely.
- Once the vegetable dish is cooked, remove it from the oven and mix through the white parts of spring onions.
- Top with the cooked mushrooms, then sprinkle over the sliced spring onion greens.