Recipe: Mushroom Stroganoff

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 500 g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 large brown onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 small green capsicum, thinly sliced (optional)
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• 2-4 tablespoons smoked paprika, to taste
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons semi-dry marsala wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste, dissolved in 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• Parsley or dill, chopped, to garnish
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• 2-4 serves of pasta, rice, or bread, to serve (optional)

Cashew Cream

• ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked in 1 cup boiling water for at least 15 minutes
• 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder
• ½-¾ cup full-cream soy milk
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar (optional)

1. Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until most of the mushrooms have some brown edges. (If you put all the mushrooms in at once, they may steam rather than fry, releasing their flavourful juices; just pour the juices into a bowl to add back in later, and keep frying.) Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
2. Warm the remaining tablespoon of oil in the frying pan and sauté the onions for about 5 minutes, until translucent.
3. Add the capsicum, if using, then sprinkle with the dried herbs and give it a quick stir before adding the paprika. Then add the chili flakes, if using. Fry for 30 seconds, or until fragrant, then add the garlic and stir for a further 30 seconds.
4. Stir the mushrooms back in, then deglaze the pan with the marsala, stirring well. Pour in the tomato paste mixture, along with any reserved mushroom juices. And the Worcestershire sauce and plenty of black pepper, give everything a good stir to combine well, then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavours to infuse.
5. While the stroganoff is simmering, prepare the cashew cream. Place the cashews and their soaking liquid in a blender, add the remaining cashew cream ingredients and blitz on high speed until smooth and creamy.
6. When you’re ready to serve, Stir the cashew cream through the stroganoff. Bring the mixture to a simmer to heat through.
7. Sprinkle with the parsley or dill and serve immediately with your choice of accompaniment, and lemon wedges on the side.

Source: VegKit