Karen Wright: Delicious recipe for mushroom stroganoff packed with umami

Karen Wright writes: If you are anything like me, it’s very difficult to choose.

I love vegetables and have no problem at all getting my five a day.

However, the two vegetables I use more than any others are onions and mushrooms.

Onions are at the heart of so many dishes. I start with chopped onion cooked slowly in oil or butter until it becomes translucent and slightly sticky. This draws out the natural sweetness in the onion and is what adds depth of flavour to a dish.

Mushrooms I treat in the same way, cooking them slowly in the pan until they wilt down and give off their dark juices.

Both onions and mushrooms along with things like garlic, soy sauce and Marmite are classed as umami. Umami is a Japanese word that just means tasty.

This week’s recipe for Veganuary has some umami, it is mushroom stroganoff and is tasty indeed!

It is also very easy to make and I serve it with either spaghetti or tagliatelle.

To make the sauce, slowly cook a chopped onion in either olive oil or vegan butter. When it is soft and translucent add a couple of handfuls of mushrooms.

I like my mushrooms big and chunky and usually use a mixture of chestnut and those big portobello ones that are so delicious.

I then add crushed garlic, smoked paprika and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.

Once these ingredients are cooked down, I add about 125ml vegetable stock and 125ml plant-based cream.

Bubble everything together and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.

A squeeze of lemon juice freshens it up and gives some zing.

Serve with pasta and chopped parsley to garnish, simply lovely!

My caravan trip to Derbyshire last week was great fun. I cooked nine dishes for a family of four on a budget of £50!

We were blessed with fine dry weather and as I was cooking some of the food outside, that was a big plus.

We were pitched at the Caravan and Motorhome club site at Castleton and had a fabulous view of the stunning landscape.

For more tips and recipes visit: https://www.karenwrightbakes.co.uk/Read more: http://https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/food-and-drink/karen-wright-try-my-recipe-for-spicy-vegan-samosa-rolls-filled-with-leftover-curry-3524301