This is one of those fab little one pot meals that is equally welcome on an ordinary Wednesday night as it is for Sunday bunch.
So much flavour!
The cumin seeds add beautiful depth.
The dill is my preference for herb because it adds an unusual fresh top notes. Just the thing to contrast earthy mushrooms and meaty sausages.
There’s balsamic which brings sweetness and acid brightness.
It’s an excellent example of how delicious 6 simple ingredients can be when chosen wisely.
Except I just noticed there are 7 ingredients! If you want less replace the butter with more olive oil.
Enough for: 2
Takes: 15 minutes
Net Carbs: 11g / serve
600g (21oz) large flat mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
3-4 thick sausages
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
100g (3.5oz) feta, crumbled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
small bunch dill or parsley, chopped
1. Slice mushrooms into bite sized pieces about 1cm (1/2in) thick. Leave stems on.
2. Heat a large frying pan on a medium high heat. When the pan is hot add the butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring every few minutes until mushrooms are browned and cooked through. At first it will seem like the mushrooms won’t fit but they will cook down quickly.
3. Remove mushrooms from the pan and place in a clean bowl. Remove sausage casings and break meat into bite sized chunks. Add sausage meat to the pan with cumin seeds (if using). Cook on a medium high heat, stirring often until the meat is cooked through and browned.
4. Return mushrooms to the pan. Add crumbled feta and cook for another minute to warm them.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in balsamic. Taste and season with salt and more balsamic if needed. Serve in deep bowls with chopped herbs on top.
Substitutions
pantry-friendly – skip the herbs. use frozen cauliflower, canned chickpeas or lentils instead of the mushrooms.
short on time – use 2 pans and cook the mushies and sausages simultaneously.
vegetarian – replace sausages with cooked chickpeas or lentils or roast nuts or diced tempeh, Or serve mushies and feta with poached or fried eggs.
dairy-free – skip feta or use walnuts, almonds olives or artichoke hearts instead. Replace butter with olive oil.
more substantial (carb lovers) – toss in cooked pasta or serve wrapped in pita.
more substantial (low carb) – extra feta. Extra sausages or serve with a big dollop of mayo or some walnuts.
Low FODMAP – use a few canned chapmignons and a bag of baby spinach instead of the fresh mushies.
different vegetables – any mushroom will work. Eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgettes), capsicum (bell peppers), sliced cabbage. Or use pre-cooked veg like beautiful broccoli or any roast veg (roast cauli would be heavenly).
different protein – sliced chicken breast or thighs fillets. Ground (minced) beef, pork or lamb. + See vegetarian options.
more fancy / for entertaining – serve in the middle of the table along side another veg dish like this shaved fennel salad, Zucchini Confit with Mint & Almonds or Braised Greens with Butter.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
mushrooms – keep in the fridge in a brown paper bag. Once cooked will keep for weeks. And can be frozen raw or cooked.
butter – will keep in the fridge for weeks.
sausages – freeze them.
cumin seeds – keep them in the pantry.
feta – keeps for months unopened in its packet. Or can be frozen.
dill – best to use for another meal.
parsley – will keep in the fridge wrapped in a plastic bag for a few weeks. Can be frozen or make a parsley oil by packing the leaves into a clean jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – more salt and/or balsamic. Next time use different sausages – they should have loads of flavour!
too dry – drizzle with some peppery extra virgin olive oil or a dollop of mayo. A higher fat sausage will avoid this in the future.
too sweet – your balsamic was too concentrated – a sign of expensive balsamic! Just balance the extra sweetness with some salt.
Prepare Ahead
Yes! Just cook as per the recipe but keep the herbs separately. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen. To serve, warm in a pan with a little oil and top with herbs.