Vegetarian mains
Quinoa and spinach stuffed mushrooms with sweet potato chips and tahini
Quinoa has been much heralded in the last few years. It cooks with little fuss and is high in nutrients, vitamins, fibre and proteins. It has a very mild, bitter edge to its taste, but generally makes a great bass note to a whole ensemble of ingredients. Tahini is nothing more than toasted sesame seeds blended into a paste, but in this form it takes on some curious properties. You'll notice that it seems to thicken and split when liquid is added to it. Keep mixing and eventually it will come back together into a smooth dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes
- ½ tbsp smoked paprika
- 4 large portobello mushrooms
- 1 lemon
- 100g quinoa
- 30g sultanas
- 1 tbsp harissa
- 1 tsp ras el hanout
- 150g spinach
- 1 tbsp tahini
- olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp mixed seeds
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Wash the sweet potato(es) and cut into long, thin chips. In a bowl, oil and season them with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, turning them to mix and coat. Roast for 20 minutes, turning once.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, give the mushrooms a wipe clean. Gently remove the stems and keep them to one side. Place the mushrooms on a second roasting tray, stalk-side up. Coat with oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Place them on the shelf below the sweet potatoes and roast for 20 minutes.
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Step 3
Meanwhile, put a kettle on to boil. Finely chop the mushroom stalks. Finely zest the lemon.
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Step 4
Place a saucepan on a medium heat and tip the quinoa into the dry pan. Heat for 3-4 minutes until the grains start to lightly colour; the odd one or two may pop. Add 1 tablespoon of oil along with the mushroom stalks. Cook for 1 min before adding the sultanas, harissa and ras el hanout. Cook for 1 more minute before tipping in 350ml of boiling water, the lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 10-12 minutes.
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Step 5
When the quinoa has had 10-12 minutes, stir in the spinach. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until wilted. While the spinach cooks, mix the tahini with 1 tablespoon hot water, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the cumin. It should be the consistency of yogurt; add a dash more water if it seems a little thick. Season with a pinch of salt.
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Step 6
Add a squeeze of lemon to the quinoa, taste and adjust the seasoning. Stuff the mushrooms with the quinoa. Divide the potato chips and mushrooms between 2 plates. Dress with the tahini sauce and mixed seeds.