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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 2015 14 Food The magic of mushrooms With their hearty consistency and meaty flavours, mushrooms make a healthy alternative to red meat, though they also go very well with meat. Check out some ideas for great mushroom recipes from last week's episode of Gourmet Today. Michael Diacono makes a delicate carpaccio of mushrooms with borage flowers and stuffed calamari with mushrooms and prawns. Sean Gravina makes deep fried mushroom croquettes with a Pecorino and white truffle dipping sauce. Don't miss Gourmet Today, on TVM every Friday at 18:40. Michael Diacono Ingredients • 300g mixed mushrooms (chestnut, button and Portobello) • Salt and pepper • 1 lemon, juice only • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional) • Olive oil • Handful parsley, roughly chopped • Handful borage flowers Method 1. Slice the mushrooms finely and place into a serving dish. 2. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mushrooms. 4. Add a good lug of olive oil. 5. Add the parsley and borage flowers. 6. Allow to marinate for 15 mins and serve. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 27 February, 2015. Sean Gravina Ingredients • Extra-virgin olive oil • 3 cups mixed mushroom caps, diced • Salt and pepper • 1 stalk celery, finely diced • 1 shallot, minced • 150g flour, plus 6 tbsp • 2 tbsp unsalted butter • Pinch nutmeg, freshly grated • 300ml chicken stock • 1 cup Benna milk • 3 large eggs • Panko breadcrumbs • Blitzed walnuts • Vegetable oil, for frying • Paprika for dusting Pecorino and white truffle dipping sauce • 5 tbsp mayonnaise • 100g Pecorino • 20g truffle shavings or a few drops truffle oil • Fresh chives • ¼ lemon, juice only Method 1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. 2. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 4 mins. 3. Reduce the heat to medium and season with salt and pepper. Add the celery and shallot and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 mins. 4. Add 6 tbsp flour, the butter and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until the flour is toasted, approx. 1 to 2 mins. 5. Slowly whisk in the broth and cook, stirring, until the mixture is the consistency of gravy, about 4 mins. 6. Slowly stir in the Benna milk and simmer, stirring, until very thick, 6 to 10 more mins. 7. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. 8. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. 9. Roll bite-sized pieces of mushroom mixture into balls and roll them in flour. 10. Coat in beaten egg and then roll in Panko breadcrumbs. 11. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for approx. 30 mins. 12. Place the croquettes into ½-inch of vegetable oil at 180C and fry for 2-3 mins on each side. Work in batches to avoid over-crowding. 13. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Dust with salt and pepper and a bit of paprika while hot. 14. Whisk the ingredients for the Percorino and white truffle dipping sauce. 15. Serve the mushroom croquettes with the dipping sauce. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 27 February, 2015. Michael Diacono Ingredients • Olive oil • ½ onion, finely chopped • 1 clove garlic • 5 large chestnut mushrooms • 3 buttom mushrooms • 100g prawns, shelled • Handful pine nuts • Handful basil leaves • Handful parsley, chopped • 6 calamari • Handful cherry tomatoes • Handful prawns Method 1. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. 2. Dice the mushrooms and add them to the pan. 3. Dice the prawns and add to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper and take off the heat. 4. Add the pine nuts, basil and parsley. 5. Allow the mixture to cool and stuff into cleaned calamari, making sure you don't over-stuff. Secure the opening with a toothpick. 6. Heat some more olive oil in a pan and add the calamari. 7. Fry the calamari, turning occasionally. 8. Add the cherry tomatoes, prawns and some more basil and parsley. 9. Allow to cook for approx. 4 mins and serve immediately. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 27 February, 2015. 2. Add the mushrooms and cook until vegetables are tender, about 4 mins. 6. Slowly stir in the Benna milk and 7. Remove from the heat, transfer to a 8. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at 9. Roll bite-sized pieces of mushroom 10. Coat in beaten egg and then roll in 11. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the 12. Place the croquettes into ½-inch of 13. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain 14. Whisk the ingredients for the Percorino 15. Serve the mushroom croquettes with Mushroom carpaccio with borage flowers Deep-fried mushroom croquettes with Pecorino and white truffle mayo Stuffed calamari with prawns and mushrooms