This is a hearty, warming vegan version of a classic dish with all the flavour and richness you’d expect from a stroganoff. Any variety of mushroom could be used here (my personal favourite is chestnut) but the key is to keep the mushrooms thickly sliced to give them a ‘meatier’ bite. Cashew nut cream is perfect in this dish giving it that creamy, velvety consistency that’s so comforting. Served on a pile of rice this is proper ‘eat by the fire on a cold night’ bowl food. Given the powerhouse of nutrients you find in mushrooms you can dig in knowing you’re eating for comfort, enjoyment and health.
Ingredients:
Serves 4
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic finely sliced
2 tbsps olive oil
650g chestnut mushrooms thickly sliced
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp seasalt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 tsps Dijon mustard
Half pint vegetable stock
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup cashew nut cream (recipe below)
To make:
1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 5 minutes
2. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme and paprika and stir through. Sauté for a further 5 minutes
3. Add the mustard, stock and soy sauce and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer for 15 mins
4. Add the cashew nut cream and stir well – return to a gentle simmer for a further 5 minutes. The stroganoff will thicken nicely at this stage – if it thickens too much, add a little extra stock or hot water. If you like a creamier texture, add more of the cashew cream 1 tbsp at a time
5. Remove from the heat and serve with your rice of choice - a blend of white and wild rice works well here
Cashew nut cream
Ingredients:
Yields approx 2 cups
Soak 1 cup of cashew nuts overnight in 2 cups of cold water. Rinse cashews and blitz in a food blender with 1 cup of fresh cold water for a couple of minutes until silky smooth – scrape down the sides along the way. The final product should have a yogurt style consistency. This can stay covered in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.
