Mushrooms or Anything Stuffed with Silverbeet and Cheese

Some of my favourite cooking times are very solitary occasions. Left alone I often get an urge  to have a go at something new, try again something that may have been a former failure or revisit something old and maybe give it a makeover. I usually set myself up with Lifestylefood on the TV, hit the recipe books and magazines (of which I have an unhealthy number), make myself a beverage (type is totally dependent on the time of day) and commence research.

Yesterday it was a visit to Belconnen Markets, and also what was left in the garden after an autumn makeover last weekend, that determined my solo dinner. I always do a reconnaissance of the three vegetable shops on arrival to see who has the best what. Some large field mushrooms took my fancy so it was off to one of the delis to buy some fresh ricotta. I knew I would need that to mix with the silverbeet (aka swiss chard) still hanging around in the corner of the veggie patch.

My love affair with spanakopita (recipe originally the Tess Mallos one from her Greek Cookbook) has been going  on since the 1970s. We still use this recipe at our house but we have modified it a few times. And this is the same with the silverbeet and ricotta mix I played with yesterday to stuff the mushrooms.
NB. Of course English spinach can be used in all of these ideas. I just prefer the gutsier and less precious silver beet.

 A couple of weeks ago I decided it was nearly winter and wanted to stuff a butterflied leg of lamb. I didn't want to make too much fuss with it as I had left my run a bit late to get it into the oven. I knew I didn't have time to pfaff around with the legit Tess Mallos so I went down the Vefa's Kitchen route, and a very good route it is too. Her stuffed lamb roll wrapped in vine leaves (which I have also done wrapped in silverbeet leaves) is a winner.

 I  deveined the silverbeet, wilted it down and chopped it up. I then grated haloumi into it with some chopped up preserved lemon, a handful of parsley and a handful of mint. I knew the haloumi would hold it together so no egg went in. Unfortunately the resident chief tier of knots wasn't yet home so I very amateurishly tied up my stuffed lamb whilst praying to the gods of all things stuffed that it wouldn't collapse in a heap in the oven. I browned it in a cast iron enamel casserole and laid it back in the same pan after putting the bones from the lamb, some carrots and celery on the bottom to be a rack for the lamb. In went some wine, some chicken stock, a thyme sprig and a bay leaf. On with the lid and then into the oven at 180 deg C for half an hour, and then I turned the oven down to about 160 deg C for another hour and a half. I wasn't aiming for pink. I wanted a slow cooked result. I would normally do this with a shoulder of lamb but it wasn't available. The gods of all things stuffed were listening and the lamb remained intact.

The lamb was wonderful warm and just as good at room temperature for the next few days.

Now back to the mushrooms. I bought two large mushrooms which was more than I needed but leftovers are great. If you are going to make them, be sure and make too many as they are superb cold. They are great picnic food, they can be sliced and eaten as canapes or they reheat pretty well too, even in the microwave. The ingredients below are very flexible and really depend on your own taste. I have also added chopped red chillies and, as I believe anchovies to be the real vitamin A, they sometimes get a jersey as well.

2 large field mushrooms, stems removed
olive oil (with a small amount of garlic) for brushing onto mushrooms

Stuffing Ingredients
3 or 4 silverbeet leaves, coarse veins removed, wilted, cooled and chopped
1 egg, beaten
150g ricotta
100g  haloumi,grated - fetta can be used although the end product will be saltier
50g kevalograviera,grated - parmesan can be used
handful of parsely, chopped
chopped chives to taste, optional
extra kevalograviera for the top

Heat the oven to 180deg C (the NATO standard!)

Line a baking tray with baking paper to save making more washing up. Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in a bowl. Brush the outside of the mushrooms with olive oil and then divide the mixture between the two cups. Put into the oven and cook until starting to turn golden. Take out, sprinkle with extra kefalograviera and put back in the oven until nicely golden brown, but not too brown. The process is quick so keep an eye on them.

I have used this mixture, with more eggs of course, as a frittata, the only other additions being steamed and cubed potatoes or sweet potato.

This is the beauty of this silver beet/cheese combo stuffing mix. I don't seem to be able to stuff it up!!