Creacipes

Author: Gary

  • Miso Butter Mushroom Udon

    Miso Butter Mushroom Udon

    I’ve been wanting more recipes where mushrooms aren’t there to accompany chicken, beef or another main ingredient.

    This is definitely one of them.

    Using several varieties together makes more sense to me than simply adding a huge quantity of button mushrooms. Shiitake brings a stronger savoury flavour, king oyster gives the dish a much meatier texture, and Swiss browns are excellent for getting plenty of browned mushroom flavour into the pan.

    The important part is cooking them before making the sauce.

    If the mushrooms, noodles and sauce all go into the pan together, the mushrooms release water and mostly steam. Instead, I give them plenty of space and let them brown properly first.

    Only then do I add garlic, butter and a sauce made from white miso, mirin and soy.

    The result is rich and savoury without needing cream, meat or a complicated sauce. And because udon only needs a few minutes, most of the actual cooking time is spent getting the mushrooms right.

    This is also exactly the sort of recipe I had in mind when putting together my Cooking with Mushrooms & Fungi guide: choose mushrooms based on what you want them to contribute, rather than treating every mushroom as interchangeable.

    Miso Butter Mushroom Udon

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    Prep 15 minutes
    Cook 15 minutes
    This vegetarian udon uses a mixture of mushrooms browned hard before being tossed with garlic, butter, white miso, mirin and soy. The mushrooms are treated as the main ingredient rather than an alternative to meat. Browning them properly gives the dish most of its savoury depth, while miso and butter form a rich sauce that clings to the thick udon noodles.
    Servings 2
    Course Whole Meal
    Cuisine Japanese inspired

    Ingredients

    Mushrooms
    • 150 g Swiss brown mushrooms
    • 100 g king oyster mushrooms
    • 100 g fresh shiitake mushrooms
    • 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
    • 15 g unsalted butter
    • 2 tsp minced garlic
    • Black pepper
    Miso Butter Sauce
    • 30 g white miso paste about 1½ tbsp
    • 1 tbsp mirin
    • 2 tsp light soy sauce
    • 1 tsp rice vinegar
    • 30 g unsalted butter
    • 60 ml hot water or reserved udon cooking water
    • Noodles
    • 400 g fresh, frozen or vacuum-packed udon noodles
    To Finish
    • 2 spring onions finely sliced
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
    • Shichimi togarashi or chilli flakes optional
    • Nori finely shredded, optional

    Method

    1. Prepare the mushrooms
    2. Clean the mushrooms and trim away any tough ends.
    3. Slice the Swiss browns into relatively thick slices.
    4. Remove the tough stems from the shiitake and slice the caps.
    5. Cut the king oyster mushrooms lengthways into thick slices, then cut or tear them into bite-sized pieces.
    6. I actually like tearing some of the king oyster rather than making every piece perfectly uniform. The irregular surfaces create more edges that can brown.
    7. Make the sauce
    8. In a small bowl, combine:
    9. White miso
    10. Mirin
    11. Light soy
    12. Rice vinegar
    13. 60 ml hot water
    14. Whisk until the miso has completely dissolved.
    15. Don’t add the 30 g finishing butter yet.
    16. Taste the sauce.
    17. It should seem quite strongly seasoned on its own because it still has to flavour 350 g mushrooms + 400 g udon.
    18. Heat the pan properly
    19. Use your largest frying pan.
    20. Heat it over medium-high to high heat until properly hot.
    21. Add the neutral oil.
    22. Brown the mushrooms
    23. Add the mushrooms in a reasonably open layer.
    24. If your pan isn’t large enough, cook them in two batches.
    25. This matters.
    26. Leave the mushrooms alone for around 2 minutes before moving them.
    27. Toss and continue cooking for another 4–5 minutes, allowing different surfaces to make contact with the hot pan.
    28. You’re looking for genuinely browned edges rather than simply softened mushrooms.
    29. If they’ve released a lot of water, keep cooking until that moisture has evaporated.
    30. Add the first butter
    31. Reduce the heat slightly.
    32. Add 15 g butter and toss it through the browned mushrooms.
    33. Add the garlic and plenty of black pepper.
    34. Cook for around 30 seconds, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
    35. The mushrooms should now be glossy and deeply browned.
    36. Transfer them temporarily to a plate if you’re worried they’ll overcook while preparing the noodles.
    37. Prepare the Udon
    38. Loosen the noodles
    39. Prepare the udon according to the packet directions.
    40. Fresh or vacuum-packed udon usually only needs a short time in boiling water to loosen.
    41. Don’t aggressively boil it for several minutes unless the particular noodles you’re using require it.
    42. Before draining, reserve a little cooking water.
    43. Drain well.
    44. Bring Everything Together
    45. Add the sauce
    46. Return the mushrooms to the pan if you removed them.
    47. Keep the heat around medium.
    48. Pour in the miso mixture.
    49. Let it bubble for approximately 30–60 seconds.
    50. You’re not trying to reduce this into a thick glaze before adding the noodles.
    51. Add the udon
    52. Add the drained udon.
    53. Toss everything together until the noodles are completely coated and the mushrooms are distributed throughout.
    54. Cook for approximately 1–2 minutes.
    55. If the sauce becomes too thick, add another splash of udon water.
    56. If it looks watery, keep tossing over the heat for another 30 seconds.
    57. The starch from the noodles will help the sauce cling.
    58. Finish with butter
    59. Turn off the heat.
    60. Add the remaining 30 g cold butter.
    61. Toss vigorously until the butter melts and emulsifies with the miso sauce.
    62. This is the point where the sauce should become glossy and coat the udon rather than sitting as watery liquid at the bottom of the pan.
    63. Taste before adding any salt.
    64. Between the miso and soy sauce, you probably won’t need it.
    65. Finish
    66. Add most of the sliced spring onion and toss briefly.
    67. Divide between two bowls.
    68. Top with the remaining spring onion and sesame seeds.
    69. If you want some heat, finish with a little shichimi togarashi.
    70. Finely shredded nori also works particularly well here.

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  • Beef & Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    Beef & Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    Meatballs in tomato sauce are simple enough in theory, but there are quite a few little decisions that change the result.

    I’ve gone with a mixture of beef and pork rather than beef alone. The beef gives the meatballs plenty of flavour while the pork adds some extra fat and keeps the texture softer.

    I also don’t want to pack the mixture together too aggressively. I’m after meatballs that hold their shape when browned but are still tender once you cut into them.

    The other important part is the sauce. Rather than cooking the meatballs completely in the frying pan, I brown them first and then let them finish gently in the tomato sauce. You get the flavour from browning without having to keep frying them until the centres are cooked.

    It’s not the fastest pasta dinner I’ve made, but most of the work is straightforward and you end up with something considerably better than simply dropping cooked mince into tomato sauce.

    And if I’m making meatballs, I might as well make enough to have leftovers.

    Beef & Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

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    Prep 20 minutes
    Cook 40 minutes
    These Italian-style meatballs combine beef and pork mince with Parmesan, garlic, parsley and breadcrumbs. They’re browned first for flavour, then gently simmered in a simple tomato sauce until tender. Serve them with spaghetti for a complete meal, or skip the pasta and bring plenty of crusty bread to the table instead.
    Servings 4
    Course Whole Meal
    Cuisine Italian inspired

    Ingredients

    • Beef & Pork Meatballs
    • 300 g beef mince
    • 300 g pork mince
    • 60 g fresh breadcrumbs
    • 80 ml milk
    • 1 large egg
    • 40 g Parmesan finely grated
    • 3 tsp minced garlic
    • 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • 1 tbsp olive oil for browning
    • Tomato Sauce
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 medium brown onion finely diced
    • 3 tsp minced garlic
    • 800 g canned whole peeled tomatoes
    • 1 tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • ½ tsp chilli flakes optional
    • 100 ml water
    • Salt and black pepper to taste
    • Small handful fresh basil
    • To Serve
    • 375 g spaghetti
    • 30 –40 g Parmesan finely grated
    • Fresh basil or parsley
    • Extra virgin olive oil optional

    Method

    1. Soak the breadcrumbs
    2. Place the breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl.
    3. Pour over the milk and mix.
    4. Leave for around 5 minutes until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the milk and softened.
    5. This becomes a simple panade and is one of the things helping keep the meatballs tender.
    6. Make the meatball mixture
    7. Add the beef, pork, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and black pepper to the soaked breadcrumbs.
    8. Mix everything together gently with your hands.
    9. You want all the ingredients evenly distributed, but don’t knead the mixture aggressively.
    10. The more you compact the mince, the firmer and more sausage-like the finished meatballs become.
    11. Test the seasoning
    12. Before shaping everything, take a teaspoon of the mixture and cook it in a small frying pan.
    13. Taste it.
    14. This gives you the opportunity to adjust the salt, pepper or herbs before you’ve committed to 20 meatballs.
    15. With Parmesan already in the mixture, I’d be particularly careful about automatically adding more salt.
    16. Shape the meatballs
    17. Divide the mixture into approximately 20 portions, around 35–40 g each.
    18. Roll gently into balls.
    19. Don’t squeeze them into perfectly dense spheres.
    20. Place on a plate or tray and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes if you have time.
    21. This helps them firm up before browning.
    22. Make the Tomato Sauce
    23. Cook the onion
    24. Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in a large deep frying pan or shallow casserole over medium heat.
    25. Add the onion with a small pinch of salt.
    26. Cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
    27. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
    28. Cook the tomato paste
    29. Add the tomato paste.
    30. Cook for around 1 minute, stirring it through the onion and garlic.
    31. I like giving tomato paste a little direct heat rather than immediately diluting it with tomatoes.
    32. Add the tomatoes
    33. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand or with a spoon and add them with their juices.
    34. Add the oregano, optional chilli flakes and 100 ml water.
    35. Bring to a gentle simmer.
    36. Cook uncovered for around 10 minutes while you brown the meatballs.
    37. Brown the Meatballs
    38. Heat the pan
    39. Heat a separate large frying pan over medium-high heat.
    40. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
    41. You don’t need enough oil to deep-fry the meatballs. We’re just trying to develop colour.
    42. Brown in batches
    43. Add the meatballs without overcrowding the pan.
    44. Brown for around 4–5 minutes total, turning carefully so several sides develop colour.
    45. They don’t need to be cooked through.
    46. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining batch.
    47. Don’t waste the browned bits
    48. Once the meatballs are finished, there should be browned meat and juices stuck to the frying pan.
    49. Add a small splash of water to the hot pan.
    50. Scrape everything up with a wooden spoon.
    51. Pour that liquid into the tomato sauce.
    52. That’s flavour you already created. There’s no reason to wash it down the sink.
    53. Finish the Meatballs in the Sauce
    54. Add the meatballs
    55. Carefully place the browned meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce.
    56. Spoon some sauce over the tops.
    57. They don’t need to be completely submerged.
    58. Simmer gently
    59. Reduce the heat to low.
    60. Partially cover and simmer for approximately 15–20 minutes, gently turning the meatballs once if necessary.
    61. Avoid aggressively stirring the pot.
    62. The meatballs are considerably more delicate than pieces of braising meat.
    63. Once cooked through, remove the lid and let the sauce reduce for another 5 minutes if it seems too thin.
    64. Finish the sauce
    65. Tear in the fresh basil.
    66. Taste the sauce before seasoning.
    67. The meatballs will have released seasoned juices, Parmesan and pork fat into the tomatoes, so the sauce at this point won’t taste exactly as it did before the meatballs went in.
    68. Adjust salt, pepper and chilli if required.
    69. Cook the Spaghetti
    70. Boil the pasta
    71. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil.
    72. Cook the 375 g spaghetti until just al dente.
    73. Before draining, reserve around 250 ml pasta water.
    74. Sauce the pasta
    75. This is where I’d do something slightly differently from simply dumping meatballs onto plain spaghetti.
    76. Remove the meatballs temporarily from the tomato sauce.
    77. Transfer the drained spaghetti into the sauce.
    78. Add a small splash of pasta water and toss over medium heat for around 1 minute.
    79. The spaghetti should be properly coated in tomato sauce.
    80. Add more pasta water only if needed.
    81. Serve
    82. Twirl the tomato-coated spaghetti onto each plate.
    83. Add 4–5 meatballs per person.
    84. Spoon additional tomato sauce over the top.
    85. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan, basil or parsley and black pepper.
    86. A small drizzle of good EVOO at the table is optional.

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  • Gambas al Ajillo – Garlic Prawns

    Gambas al Ajillo – Garlic Prawns

    This is exactly the sort of recipe that reminds me that a short ingredient list doesn’t necessarily mean there’s nothing to think about.

    Gambas al Ajillo is basically prawns, olive oil, garlic and chilli. There isn’t a complicated marinade or sauce hiding behind it. Most of the flavour comes from getting those few ingredients right.

    The garlic is the part I pay the most attention to. I want it gently sizzling in the olive oil long enough to flavour the oil and turn lightly golden, but not so dark that it becomes bitter. The prawns then go in for only a couple of minutes, just long enough to cook through while staying juicy.

    I’ve added parsley and a little lemon at the end, but otherwise I want to keep this simple.

    And the olive oil left in the dish isn’t something to drain away. Once it’s picked up the garlic, chilli and prawn juices, it’s arguably one of the best parts.

    That’s what the bread is for.

    Gambas al Ajillo – Garlic Prawns

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    Gambas al Ajillo is a classic Spanish tapas dish built from remarkably few ingredients: prawns, olive oil, garlic and chilli. The trick is controlling the heat. The garlic needs enough time to flavour the olive oil and become lightly golden without burning, while the prawns need only a very short cook so they stay juicy.

    Ingredients

    • Garlic Prawns
    • 500 g raw prawns peeled and deveined
    • 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
    • 6 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
    • 1 fresh red chilli thinly sliced
    • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes optional
    • ½ tsp sweet paprika optional
    • ½ tsp salt
    • Black pepper
    • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
    • 1 –2 tsp lemon juice
    • To Serve
    • Crusty bread
    • Lemon wedges
    • Extra parsley

    Method

    1. Prepare the prawns
    2. If the prawns are wet, pat them thoroughly dry with paper towel.
    3. This is particularly important if you’re using thawed frozen prawns.
    4. Excess water cools the oil and encourages the prawns to release liquid rather than cook quickly.
    5. Season lightly with salt.
    6. Prepare the garlic
    7. Thinly slice the garlic rather than mincing it.
    8. Six cloves might look like a lot, but garlic is one of the defining ingredients of the dish.
    9. Try to keep the slices reasonably even so you don’t end up with some pieces burning while others are still raw.
    10. Flavour the oil
    11. Add the olive oil and sliced garlic to a frying pan while it’s still relatively cool.
    12. Place over medium-low heat.
    13. Let the garlic gradually come up to temperature with the oil.
    14. Once it begins gently sizzling, add the fresh chilli and optional chilli flakes.
    15. Cook for around 2–3 minutes, stirring or swirling occasionally.
    16. The garlic should become fragrant and lightly golden, not dark brown.
    17. Add the paprika
    18. If using paprika, add it now and stir for only about 10 seconds.
    19. Don’t fry ground paprika aggressively in hot oil because it can burn and become bitter.
    20. The paprika is optional. I only want enough to add a little warmth and colour rather than turning this into another paprika-heavy prawn recipe.
    21. Increase the heat
    22. Increase to medium-high.
    23. Once the oil is properly hot, add the prawns in a single layer.
    24. They should immediately begin sizzling.
    25. Cook the prawns
    26. Cook for approximately 60–90 seconds on the first side.
    27. Turn and cook for another 45–60 seconds, depending on their size.
    28. The prawns should be opaque and just cooked through.
    29. Don’t keep cooking them because you’re waiting for the sauce to thicken.
    30. There isn’t really a conventional sauce here.
    31. The flavoured olive oil is the sauce.
    32. Finish
    33. Remove the pan from the heat.
    34. Add the parsley and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
    35. Toss everything together.
    36. Taste the oil.
    37. Add the remaining lemon only if you think it needs more acidity, then adjust salt and black pepper.
    38. Serve immediately
    39. Transfer everything, including all of the garlic-chilli oil, into a warm shallow dish.
    40. Serve immediately with crusty bread and lemon wedges.
    41. Make sure everyone gets some of the garlic oil.
    42. That’s half the point of making it.

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  • Basil Chicken with Rice & Crispy Egg

    Basil Chicken with Rice & Crispy Egg

    Pad Kra Pao is one of those dishes that looks almost too simple when you break down the ingredients.

    Chicken, garlic, chilli, a few sauces and a big handful of basil. But cooked quickly over high heat, it becomes much more than the ingredient list suggests.

    The part I like is that the chicken isn’t supposed to be swimming in sauce. I want some of the mince to actually brown against the hot pan before adding the seasonings, then let the sauce reduce until it coats the meat.

    Traditionally, the defining herb is holy basil, which has a more peppery flavour than the Thai basil that’s much easier for me to find. I’ll use holy basil when I can get it, but I’m not going to avoid making the dish because I only have Thai basil.

    The crispy egg is almost as important to me as the chicken. Fried in enough oil to blister and crisp the edges while leaving the yolk runny, it gives you something rich to break over the spicy, salty chicken and rice.

    This is my practical version for making at home, with enough chilli to know it’s there and very little added sweetness.

    Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao) with Rice & Crispy Egg

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    Pad Kra Pao is built around a very simple combination: minced meat stir-fried hard and fast with garlic, chilli and basil, then served over rice with a fried egg. This version uses chicken mince with fish sauce, oyster sauce and light soy, keeping the sauce savoury rather than overly sweet. A crispy-edged fried egg with a runny yolk turns it into a complete meal.
    Servings 4
    Course Whole Meal
    Cuisine Thai inspired

    Ingredients

    • Thai Basil Chicken
    • 600 g chicken mince
    • 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
    • 4 cloves garlic roughly minced
    • 2 –4 bird’s eye chillies roughly chopped
    • 1 small shallot thinly sliced, optional
    • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
    • 1 tbsp fish sauce
    • 2 tsp light soy sauce
    • 1 tsp dark soy sauce optional, mainly for colour
    • 1 tsp honey or sugar optional
    • 2 tbsp water
    • 1 large handful holy basil or Thai basil leaves about 30–40 g
    • Crispy Fried Eggs
    • 4 large eggs
    • 3 –4 tbsp neutral cooking oil
    • To Serve
    • 600 –700 g cooked jasmine rice
    • Cucumber slices
    • Lime wedges optional
    • Extra fresh chilli optional

    Method

    1. Prepare everything first
    2. This is a fast stir-fry, so have everything ready before you turn on the heat.
    3. Combine the oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy, optional dark soy, optional honey and water in a small bowl.
    4. Pick the basil leaves from the stems.
    5. Mince the garlic and chilli together fairly roughly.
    6. I wouldn’t turn them into a smooth paste. Little pieces of fried garlic and chilli are part of what I want in the finished dish.
    7. Heat the pan properly
    8. Place a wok or large frying pan over high heat.
    9. Let it get properly hot before adding the oil.
    10. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl it around the pan.
    11. Fry the garlic and chilli
    12. Add the garlic and chilli.
    13. Stir-fry for around 15–20 seconds.
    14. You’re looking for fragrance and just the beginning of colour on the garlic.
    15. Don’t stand there frying it for a minute. Garlic can go from fragrant to burnt very quickly at this temperature.
    16. If you’re using shallot, add it now and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
    17. Brown the chicken
    18. Add the chicken mince.
    19. Spread it across the hot surface of the pan and leave it alone for around 45–60 seconds before breaking it apart.
    20. This gives at least some of the chicken a chance to brown.
    21. Then break the mince into relatively small pieces and stir-fry for another 3–4 minutes.
    22. I don’t want the chicken boiled in its own liquid.
    23. If a lot of water comes out, keep the heat high and let that moisture evaporate before adding the sauce.
    24. Add the sauce
    25. Pour the prepared sauce around the chicken.
    26. Toss everything together over high heat.
    27. Cook for approximately 1–2 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and is clinging to the mince.
    28. There should be enough sauce to flavour the rice underneath, but there shouldn’t be a puddle of liquid at the bottom of the wok.
    29. Taste it.
    30. You should get salty, savoury, spicy and slightly sweet, rather than a noticeably sweet stir-fry.
    31. Add the basil
    32. Turn off the heat or reduce it to very low.
    33. Add the basil leaves.
    34. Toss them through the chicken for around 20–30 seconds, just until wilted.
    35. Don’t cook the basil for several minutes. I want to keep as much of its fresh aroma as possible.
    36. Set the chicken aside while you fry the eggs.
    37. Crispy Thai-Style Fried Eggs
    38. Heat the oil
    39. Add 3–4 tablespoons neutral oil to a small frying pan or wok.
    40. Heat over medium-high to high heat.
    41. This is intentionally more oil than I’d normally use to fry an egg.
    42. The hot oil is what creates those crispy, blistered edges.
    43. Fry the eggs
    44. Crack an egg into a small bowl first, then carefully slide it into the hot oil.
    45. The white should immediately begin bubbling around the edges.
    46. Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to carefully spoon some hot oil over the egg white.
    47. Try to avoid repeatedly pouring oil directly over the yolk if you want it runny.
    48. Cook for approximately 60–90 seconds, until the white is cooked and the edges are deeply golden and crisp.
    49. Remove and drain briefly.
    50. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
    51. Assemble
    52. Add jasmine rice to each plate.
    53. Spoon a generous amount of basil chicken beside or partly over the rice.
    54. Place a crispy fried egg on top.
    55. Add cucumber slices alongside.
    56. I like breaking the yolk immediately so it runs through the basil chicken and into the rice.

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  • Beef Kofta Plate

    Beef Kofta Plate

    A Mediterranean-style plate built around beef kofta seasoned with garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano and parsley. Serve the kofta with homemade tzatziki, a simple tomato and cucumber salad, warm pita and lemon for a complete meal that’s fresh enough for lunch but substantial enough for dinner.

    Beef Kofta Plate

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    A Mediterranean-style plate built around beef kofta seasoned with garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano and parsley. Serve the kofta with homemade tzatziki, a simple tomato and cucumber salad, warm pita and lemon for a complete meal that’s fresh enough for lunch but substantial enough for dinner.
    Servings 4
    Course Whole Meal
    Cuisine Greek inspired

    Ingredients

    • Beef Kofta
    • 600 g lean beef mince
    • ½ small brown onion finely grated
    • 3 tsp minced garlic
    • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • ½ tsp sweet paprika
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • Tzatziki
    • 250 g Greek yoghurt
    • ½ Lebanese cucumber
    • 1 small garlic clove finely grated
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped dill
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • Black pepper
    • Tomato & Cucumber Salad
    • 250 g tomatoes roughly chopped
    • 1 Lebanese cucumber chopped
    • ¼ red onion thinly sliced
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
    • ½ tsp dried oregano
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • Black pepper
    • To Serve
    • 4 pita or flatbreads
    • 1 lemon cut into wedges
    • Fresh parsley
    • Optional crumbled feta

    Method

    1. Make the tzatziki
    2. Coarsely grate the cucumber.
    3. Place it in your hands, a clean tea towel or some paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as reasonably possible.
    4. This matters more than it might seem. Leaving all that cucumber water in there can turn thick Greek yoghurt into a watery sauce.
    5. Combine the cucumber with the yoghurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, salt and black pepper.
    6. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
    7. Refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
    8. If possible, make it 30 minutes ahead so the garlic and dill have time to flavour the yoghurt.
    9. Prepare the onion for the kofta
    10. Finely grate the brown onion.
    11. Squeeze out some of the excess liquid before adding it to the beef.
    12. You still want the flavour and some moisture, but not enough onion juice to make the mixture sloppy.
    13. Mix the kofta
    14. Place the beef mince in a large bowl.
    15. Add the grated onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil.
    16. Mix with your hands until everything is evenly distributed.
    17. Don’t spend several minutes aggressively kneading it. Once the mixture holds together and the seasoning is distributed, stop.
    18. Shape
    19. Divide the mixture into 8 kofta, about 75 g each.
    20. Shape each portion into a short sausage around 8–10 cm long.
    21. Flatten them slightly rather than making perfectly round cylinders. That gives you more surface area for browning and makes them easier to cook evenly in a pan or air fryer.
    22. You can also shape them around skewers, but for an ordinary weeknight dinner I wouldn’t bother unless you’re grilling them over a barbecue.
    23. Rest
    24. Place the shaped kofta in the refrigerator for around 15–20 minutes.
    25. This isn’t essential, but it helps them firm up and hold their shape during cooking.
    26. Use the time to make the salad.
    27. Make the salad
    28. Combine the tomato, cucumber and red onion.
    29. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and black pepper.
    30. Toss just before serving.
    31. I wouldn’t dress this too early because the salt will start pulling water from the tomato and cucumber.
    32. Cooking the Kofta
    33. You have several good options.
    34. Air Fryer
    35. This is probably how I’d cook them at home.
    36. Preheat to 200°C.
    37. Lightly spray or brush the kofta with oil.
    38. Air fry for approximately 8–10 minutes, turning once.
    39. Then increase to 220–230°C for another 1–2 minutes if they need more browning.
    40. You’re looking for a properly browned exterior without drying out the middle.
    41. Frying Pan
    42. Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat.
    43. Add a small amount of olive oil.
    44. Cook the kofta for approximately 8–10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes so several sides develop good colour.
    45. Barbecue
    46. Cook over medium-high direct heat for around 8–10 minutes, turning regularly.
    47. This is probably the best option if you’re already using the barbecue because a little char works extremely well with the cumin, oregano and beef.
    48. Whichever method you use, cook minced beef thoroughly.
    49. Warm the Pita
    50. Heat the pita in a dry frying pan for around 30 seconds per side, or until warm and flexible.
    51. Alternatively, wrap several together and warm them briefly in the oven or air fryer.
    52. I prefer them soft rather than crisp for this meal because I want to be able to tear pieces off and wrap them around the kofta.
    53. Assemble the Plate
    54. Give each person:
    55. 2 beef kofta
    56. A generous spoonful of tzatziki
    57. Tomato and cucumber salad
    58. 1 warm pita
    59. Lemon wedges
    60. Scatter over some fresh parsley.
    61. Add a little crumbled feta if you want it, although I don’t think the plate actually needs it.
    62. Squeeze lemon over the kofta immediately before eating.

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  • Chicken, Mushroom & White Wine Pan Sauce

    Chicken, Mushroom & White Wine Pan Sauce

    This is exactly the sort of dish that made me want to understand ingredients rather than just follow recipes.

    Chicken, mushrooms, white wine, butter and thyme is a fairly classic combination, but most of what makes this dish work actually happens in the pan.

    The chicken leaves behind browned bits. The mushrooms pick up some of the rendered chicken fat and develop their own colour. White wine then deglazes the pan and, rather than immediately adding everything else, I let it reduce before adding the stock.

    That reduction is important. The wine isn’t there just because “French cooking uses wine.” It brings acidity and aroma, lifts everything stuck to the bottom of the pan and becomes part of the sauce.

    I’ve kept this version without cream. Finishing with a little cold butter gives the sauce enough richness while still letting the mushrooms, chicken and wine remain the main flavours.

    It’s also a good practical example of two ingredients I’ve been looking at more closely lately: mushrooms and alcohol.

    Chicken, Mushroom & White Wine Pan Sauce

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    Chicken thighs are browned until golden, then finished with mushrooms, garlic, thyme and a dry white wine pan sauce. The wine is reduced before the stock is added, concentrating its acidity and flavour while pulling all the browned bits from the pan into the sauce.
    Course Whole Meal
    Cuisine French inspired

    Ingredients

    • Chicken
    • 700 –800 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • ¾ tsp salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • Mushrooms
    • 300 g mushrooms sliced
    • 1 small shallot finely diced
    • 2 tsp minced garlic
    • 4 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
    • White Wine Pan Sauce
    • 150 ml dry white wine
    • 150 ml chicken stock
    • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
    • 20 g cold unsalted butter
    • 1 tsp lemon juice only if needed
    • Salt and black pepper to taste
    • To Serve
    • Mashed potato
    • Steamed or blanched green beans
    • Fresh parsley finely chopped

    Method

    1. Prepare the chicken
    2. Pat the chicken thighs dry.
    3. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
    4. If some thighs are substantially thicker than others, flatten them slightly so they cook at roughly the same rate.
    5. Brown the chicken
    6. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
    7. Add the olive oil.
    8. Place the chicken into the hot pan without overcrowding it and cook for approximately 4–5 minutes on the first side without constantly moving it.
    9. Turn and cook for another 3 minutes.
    10. You’re mainly developing colour at this stage. The chicken doesn’t need to be completely cooked through.
    11. Transfer to a plate.
    12. Brown the mushrooms
    13. Check how much fat is left in the pan.
    14. You want enough to lightly coat the mushrooms, but not a large pool. Remove excess chicken fat if necessary.
    15. Increase the heat slightly and add the mushrooms.
    16. Spread them across the pan and leave them alone for 2–3 minutes before tossing.
    17. Continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes until well browned.
    18. This is one part I wouldn’t rush. Pale, steamed mushrooms and properly browned mushrooms produce very different sauces.
    19. Add the aromatics
    20. Reduce the heat to medium.
    21. Add the shallot and thyme and cook for around 2 minutes.
    22. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
    23. Don’t let the garlic burn.
    24. Deglaze with white wine
    25. Pour in the 150 ml white wine.
    26. It should immediately begin bubbling.
    27. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned chicken and mushroom bits from the bottom of the pan.
    28. That’s all going into the sauce.
    29. Let the wine simmer uncovered until reduced by roughly half, about 3–5 minutes depending on the size of your pan.
    30. Don’t rush straight into adding the stock.
    31. I want the wine to concentrate first.
    32. Build the sauce
    33. Add the chicken stock and Dijon mustard.
    34. Stir until combined and bring back to a gentle simmer.
    35. Return the chicken and any juices collected on the plate to the pan.
    36. Finish cooking the chicken
    37. Simmer gently for approximately 5–8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the thighs, until the chicken is cooked through.
    38. If the sauce is reducing too quickly, lower the heat.
    39. If the chicken finishes before the sauce reaches the consistency you want, remove the chicken and keep it warm while reducing the sauce for another minute or two.
    40. Finish with butter
    41. Remove the chicken again or push it towards the edge of the pan.
    42. Take the pan off the heat.
    43. Add the 20 g cold butter and swirl or stir it through the sauce until completely incorporated.
    44. This gives the sauce gloss and richness without needing cream.
    45. Taste.
    46. Only add the lemon juice if the sauce actually needs more acidity. Depending on the wine you’ve used, it may already have plenty.
    47. Adjust salt and black pepper.
    48. Serve
    49. Spoon mashed potato onto the plate.
    50. Add the chicken and green beans.
    51. Spoon the mushrooms generously around and over the chicken, followed by the white wine pan sauce.
    52. Finish with chopped parsley and a little freshly cracked black pepper.

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  • Eggs with Garlic Yoghurt & Paprika Butter

    Eggs with Garlic Yoghurt & Paprika Butter

    Eggs and yoghurt weren’t a combination I’d naturally think to put together, but Turkish eggs make a lot more sense once everything is on the plate.

    The yoghurt is seasoned with garlic and salt, the eggs are softly poached, and then hot butter flavoured with paprika and chilli is spooned over everything. Break the yolk and it mixes with the yoghurt and spiced butter into something that’s almost a sauce.

    It’s also a good example of a meal where relatively ordinary ingredients become something quite different without needing much cooking.

    For my version, I’m keeping the garlic yoghurt simple and using paprika with chilli flakes in the butter. Traditionally, Turkish pul biber or Aleppo-style pepper would be the more characteristic choice, but paprika and chilli are ingredients I’m much more likely to already have.

    Serve it with warm flatbread or toasted sourdough and use the bread to scoop up the yoghurt, butter and runny yolk together.

    Eggs with Garlic Yoghurt & Paprika Butter

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    Servings 2
    Course Breakfast, Lunch
    Cuisine Turkish inspired

    Ingredients

    • Garlic Yoghurt
    • 250 g Greek yoghurt
    • 1 small garlic clove finely grated or minced
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 tsp lemon juice optional
    • Poached Eggs
    • 4 large eggs
    • 1 tbsp white vinegar for the poaching water
    • Pinch of salt
    • Paprika Chilli Butter
    • 30 g unsalted butter
    • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tsp sweet paprika
    • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
    • ¼ –½ tsp chilli flakes
    • Pinch of salt
    • To Serve
    • 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
    • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
    • Black pepper
    • 2 pieces flatbread pita or sourdough
    • Lemon wedges optional

    Method

    1. Bring the yoghurt towards room temperature
    2. Take the yoghurt out of the fridge about 20–30 minutes before serving if you have time.
    3. You don’t need it warm, but fridge-cold yoghurt underneath freshly poached eggs creates a bigger temperature contrast than I want.
    4. Mix the yoghurt with the garlic and salt.
    5. Taste it.
    6. If you’d like a little more acidity, add the optional teaspoon of lemon juice.
    7. Spread the yoghurt across two shallow bowls or plates.
    8. Prepare the eggs
    9. Crack each egg individually into a small cup or ramekin.
    10. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a very gentle simmer. You want small bubbles rather than a rolling boil.
    11. Add the vinegar.
    12. Poach the eggs
    13. Gently lower the eggs into the water.
    14. Depending on the size of your saucepan, cook them two at a time rather than overcrowding the pot.
    15. Poach for approximately 3–3½ minutes for set whites and runny yolks.
    16. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow excess water to drain.
    17. If there are particularly wet edges, briefly rest the spoon on a clean tea towel or paper towel before transferring the egg to the yoghurt.
    18. Place two eggs onto each plate.
    19. Make the paprika chilli butter
    20. While the eggs are poaching, melt the butter with the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat.
    21. Once the butter begins foaming, add the sweet paprika, smoked paprika and chilli flakes.
    22. Swirl for about 20–30 seconds.
    23. Don’t fry the paprika aggressively. Ground spices can burn surprisingly quickly and become bitter.
    24. Remove from the heat once the butter is fragrant and has turned a deep orange-red.
    25. Pour over the butter
    26. Immediately spoon the hot paprika butter over the eggs and yoghurt.
    27. You want some over the eggs and some running directly into the yoghurt.
    28. Finish
    29. Scatter over the dill and parsley.
    30. Add freshly cracked black pepper.
    31. Serve immediately with warm flatbread, pita or toasted sourdough.

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  • Chicken Tinga Tacos

    Chicken Tinga Tacos

    I’ve cooked with smoked paprika and chilli plenty of times, but chipotle brings something quite different. You get chilli heat and smokiness together, but with a deeper flavour that works particularly well with tomato.

    Chicken tinga seemed like a good place to start.

    Traditional tinga has several regional and household variations, but chicken cooked with tomato, onion and chipotle is probably the version most people recognise. For mine, I’m using chicken thigh because it stays juicy after being shredded and returned to the sauce.

    The chicken is really the only part that needs much cooking. Once it’s piled into warm tortillas with avocado, coriander, lime and some quick-pickled red onion, there’s enough freshness and acidity that the tacos don’t need much else.

    This is my Mexican-inspired version rather than an attempt to define the traditional one.

    Chicken Tinga Tacos

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    Chicken Tinga Tacos are an easy combination of tender shredded chicken and a smoky tomato-chipotle sauce. This version uses chicken thigh for a juicy filling, then keeps the toppings fresh and simple with avocado, coriander, lime and quick-pickled red onion.
    Servings 4
    Course Main Course, Whole Meal
    Cuisine Mexican inspired

    Ingredients

    • Chicken Tinga
    • 600 g boneless skinless chicken thigh
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 medium brown onion thinly sliced
    • 3 tsp minced garlic
    • 400 g canned tomatoes
    • 1 –2 chipotle chillies in adobo plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
    • 1 tsp dried oregano preferably Mexican oregano if available
    • ½ tsp ground cumin
    • ½ tsp smoked paprika
    • ½ tsp salt then more to taste
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • 100 ml chicken stock
    • 1 tbsp lime juice
    • Quick-Pickled Red Onion
    • ½ medium red onion thinly sliced
    • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
    • 3 tbsp hot water
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 tsp honey
    • To Serve
    • 12 small corn or flour tortillas
    • 1 avocado sliced
    • 1 small handful fresh coriander
    • 2 limes cut into wedges
    • Pickled red onion
    • Optional sliced jalapeño or fresh chilli

    Method

    1. Pickle the onion
    2. Place the sliced red onion in a small bowl.
    3. Mix the vinegar, hot water, salt and honey until dissolved, then pour over the onion.
    4. Toss and leave for at least 20–30 minutes while you make the chicken.
    5. You can make this several hours ahead and refrigerate it.
    6. Brown the chicken
    7. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season lightly with salt and black pepper.
    8. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
    9. Brown the chicken for about 2–3 minutes per side. It doesn’t need to be cooked through yet.
    10. Remove and set aside.
    11. Cook the onion
    12. Reduce the heat to medium.
    13. Add the sliced brown onion to the same pan and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to colour.
    14. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
    15. Make the tinga sauce
    16. Add the canned tomatoes, chipotle chillies, adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika and chicken stock.
    17. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer.
    18. For a smoother tinga, you can blend the tomato mixture before returning it to the pan. I prefer leaving a little texture in the sauce.
    19. Cook the chicken
    20. Return the browned chicken and any resting juices to the sauce.
    21. Cover loosely and simmer gently for around 15 minutes, turning the chicken once, until completely cooked and tender.
    22. Shred
    23. Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
    24. Don’t shred it too finely. I like having some larger pieces of chicken left in the tacos.
    25. Return the shredded chicken to the pan.
    26. Reduce
    27. Simmer uncovered for another 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    28. The finished tinga should be juicy and heavily coated in sauce, but not watery enough to immediately soak through the tortillas.
    29. Add the lime juice.
    30. Taste before adding more salt. If you want more heat, add another little spoonful of adobo sauce.
    31. Warm the tortillas
    32. Heat the tortillas in a dry frying pan for around 20–30 seconds per side, until warm and flexible.
    33. Keep them wrapped in a clean tea towel while you finish the batch.
    34. Build the tacos
    35. Add chicken tinga to each warm tortilla.
    36. Top with avocado, pickled red onion and fresh coriander.
    37. Finish with a squeeze of lime immediately before eating.

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  • Cooking with Wine & Alcohol

    Cooking with Wine & Alcohol

    Wine, cooking wine, spirits and why I use them

    Alcohol is one of those ingredients I used to treat pretty simply. If a recipe said red wine, I’d use red wine. If a Chinese recipe called for cooking wine, I’d add cooking wine.

    The more I’ve cooked, the more I’ve realised that the type of alcohol matters just as much as the amount.

    Red wine can give a beef stew depth and acidity. White wine can brighten seafood or a pan sauce. Shaoxing wine adds a flavour I immediately associate with Chinese cooking. Sake is much more delicate, while something stronger like brandy can completely change a sauce even when only a small amount is used.

    And then there’s the advice that seems to appear everywhere:

    “The alcohol just cooks off.”

    It’s not quite that simple.

    So this page isn’t about putting alcohol into everything I cook. It’s about understanding what it actually contributes, when I think it’s worth using, what I substitute when I don’t have it, and when I’d rather leave it out altogether.

    What Does Alcohol Actually Do in Cooking?

    When I add wine or another alcoholic ingredient, I’m usually looking for one or more of four things:

    Flavour
    The drink itself brings flavour compounds from grapes, grains, fruits, herbs, oak ageing, fermentation or distillation.

    Acidity and balance
    Wine in particular can cut through rich meat, butter, cream and rendered fat.

    Aroma
    Alcohol can help carry aromatic compounds, which is part of the reason a splash of wine or spirits can noticeably change the smell and flavour of a dish.

    Deglazing
    After browning meat or vegetables, liquid helps dissolve the browned material stuck to the bottom of the pan. Wine is particularly useful because it adds flavour and acidity at the same time.

    I don’t add alcohol simply because a recipe traditionally contains it. I want to know what it’s doing there.

    The Alcohols I Cook With

    TypeGeneral characterWhere I use it
    Dry white wineFresh, acidic, fruitySeafood, chicken, pasta, pan sauces
    Dry red wineRicher, deeper, sometimes tannicBeef, lamb, tomato sauces, braises
    Shaoxing wineSavoury, fermented, aromaticCantonese/Chinese stir-fries, marinades, braises
    SakeClean, mild, slightly sweetJapanese-inspired sauces, fish, chicken
    MirinSweet, mild, fermentedGlazes, teriyaki-style sauces, Japanese cooking
    SherryNutty to dry/sweet depending on typeSauces, soups and some Chinese substitutions
    Brandy/CognacStrong, fruity, warmingCream sauces, meat, mushrooms
    MarsalaNutty, slightly sweetChicken, mushrooms, sauces
    BeerMalty, bitter to sweetBatters, stews, braises
    Rice wineVaries considerablyChinese and other Asian cooking

    One important lesson here is that “cooking alcohol” is not one category.

    I wouldn’t expect red wine and Shaoxing wine to do the same job just because both contain alcohol.

    White Wine

    Dry white wine is probably one of the easiest alcoholic ingredients to cook with.

    I like it with seafood, chicken, mushrooms and pasta because it gives the dish acidity and aroma without adding the heavier flavour or colour of red wine.

    It works particularly well after something has been browned in a pan.

    I’ll remove or move the main ingredient, pour in some wine and scrape up everything stuck to the bottom. That browned material becomes part of the sauce rather than staying attached to the pan.

    What I look for

    For most savoury dishes, I generally want a dry white wine, not something noticeably sweet.

    Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio/Gris and unoaked Chardonnay can all work depending on the dish.

    I wouldn’t normally open an expensive bottle specifically for cooking.

    But I also wouldn’t deliberately buy terrible wine just because it’s going into food.

    If I wouldn’t want the flavour anywhere near my dinner, reducing it in a saucepan probably isn’t going to improve the situation.

    Red Wine

    Red wine behaves differently.

    It’s generally something I reach for when the rest of the dish can stand up to it: beef, lamb, tomato, mushrooms, slow braises and richer sauces.

    Reduction concentrates flavour, so the characteristics of the wine become more noticeable rather than magically disappearing.

    That includes things I might not want.

    A very tannic or heavily oaked wine can become quite aggressive when reduced too far.

    For everyday cooking, I’d usually rather use a reasonably balanced dry red than something extremely powerful.

    Where I like it

    Beef braises
    Red wine sauces
    Tomato-based meat sauces
    Mushroom sauces
    Slow-cooked lamb
    Chorizo

    My Chorizo in Red Wine is a good example where the wine isn’t a background ingredient. It’s effectively part of the sauce.

    Shaoxing Wine / 紹興酒

    This is one of the alcohols where I don’t think “just use some wine” is particularly useful advice.

    Shaoxing wine has a distinctive fermented, savoury aroma that I associate immediately with Chinese cooking.

    It’s particularly common in marinades, stir-fries, braises and sauces.

    In Cantonese-style cooking, even a relatively small amount can change the aroma of a dish substantially.

    I might use it with:

    Beef and oyster sauce
    Chicken
    Fish and seafood
    Mushrooms
    Braised meats
    Stir-fried vegetables
    Marinades

    It works particularly well alongside ginger, spring onion, soy sauce and oyster sauce.

    Shaoxing wine vs Shaoxing cooking wine

    This is worth checking on the bottle.

    Some products sold specifically as cooking wine contain added salt. That means I can’t necessarily treat them exactly like drinking-quality Shaoxing wine.

    If I’m using salted cooking wine, I take that into account before adding soy sauce or additional salt.

    Taste the dish before seasoning automatically.

    Sake

    Sake gives me a different result from Shaoxing wine.

    It’s generally cleaner and more delicate, which suits Japanese-style cooking where I don’t necessarily want the alcohol ingredient dominating everything around it.

    I’ll use sake with fish, chicken, mushrooms and soy-based sauces.

    It’s one of those ingredients where substituting Shaoxing wine will technically give you fermented rice wine, but it can pull the flavour of the dish in a noticeably different direction.

    They’re not interchangeable just because they’re both rice-based alcoholic drinks.

    Mirin

    Mirin is where things get slightly confusing because it’s often grouped with cooking wines even though I use it differently.

    Mirin contributes sweetness, gloss and flavour.

    That makes it particularly useful in Japanese-style glazes and sauces.

    If a recipe contains mirin, I don’t automatically treat it as though the only purpose is alcohol.

    Replacing it with dry sake, for example, removes a significant source of sweetness.

    Likewise, adding sugar to sake can approximate part of what mirin contributes, but it isn’t literally the same ingredient.

    Another thing worth checking is whether the bottle is genuine mirin or a mirin-style seasoning, because products can vary considerably.

    Sherry

    Sherry covers a surprisingly broad range of flavours, from very dry to distinctly sweet.

    For cooking, dry sherry is particularly useful.

    It’s also one of the more common emergency substitutions suggested for Shaoxing wine.

    I think that’s reasonable when Shaoxing isn’t available, particularly with a dry style, but I still treat it as a substitution rather than pretending the flavours are identical.

    For a recipe where Shaoxing is a major flavour, I’d rather use Shaoxing.

    For a tablespoon going into a stir-fry on a Tuesday night, dry sherry can get the job done.

    Brandy and Cognac

    This is a completely different way of cooking with alcohol.

    Because spirits contain much more alcohol than wine, I generally use much smaller amounts.

    Brandy works particularly well with mushrooms, beef and creamy pan sauces.

    It can add a deep fruity aroma without requiring a large volume of liquid.

    I also don’t think flambéing is compulsory just because brandy is involved.

    You can simply add it carefully and allow it to cook and reduce.

    If you do flambé something, that’s a technique that deserves proper attention rather than something I’d recommend casually waving a lighter over.

    Beer

    Beer is another huge category rather than a single flavour.

    A light lager, stout and aggressively hopped IPA will produce completely different results.

    Beer can add maltiness, bitterness, sweetness and roasted flavours depending on the style.

    I particularly like the idea of beer for:

    Batters
    Beef stews
    Slow braises
    Sausages
    Onions
    Rich meat dishes

    I’d be cautious with highly bitter beers in reductions because reducing liquid also concentrates bitterness.

    Does the Alcohol Really Cook Off?

    Not instantly.

    This is probably the biggest misconception around cooking with alcohol.

    When wine hits a hot pan, some alcohol begins evaporating, but that doesn’t mean every trace disappears within seconds.

    How much remains depends on things like:

    • How much alcohol was added
    • How long the dish cooks
    • Whether it’s simmered, baked or flambéed
    • The size and shape of the pan
    • Whether the alcohol is mixed throughout the food
    • Whether the dish is covered

    A quick splash of wine into a sauce that’s cooked for another minute is different from a braise that simmers for several hours.

    So I don’t describe a dish containing alcohol as automatically alcohol-free simply because it has been cooked.

    That’s particularly worth remembering when cooking for someone who avoids alcohol completely.

    When Should I Add Alcohol?

    It depends on what I’m making.

    For deglazing

    Usually after browning the main ingredient and before adding the rest of the sauce.

    Add the wine, scrape the pan and allow it to reduce.

    For stir-fries

    Shaoxing wine is often added in relatively small quantities during high-heat cooking.

    I want its aroma incorporated without turning my stir-fry into something swimming in liquid.

    For braises

    Alcohol may be added earlier because it has plenty of time to integrate with the other ingredients.

    For finishing

    Some dishes intentionally add an alcoholic ingredient relatively late because retaining some of its aroma is the point.

    There isn’t one universal rule that says alcohol must always be cooked for a certain number of minutes.

    Reducing Wine

    Reduction is one of the most useful things to understand.

    If I add 250 ml of wine and then immediately add stock, cream and everything else, I’ve diluted the wine.

    If I first simmer that wine down to perhaps half its volume, I’ve concentrated its flavour before building the rest of the sauce.

    But more reduction isn’t automatically better.

    Reducing also concentrates:

    Acidity
    Sweetness
    Tannins
    Bitterness
    Salt, if the alcoholic ingredient contains it

    So I reduce until the wine tastes integrated and concentrated, not simply until an arbitrary amount of liquid has disappeared.

    Cooking Wine vs Drinking Wine

    The phrase “only cook with wine you’d drink” gets repeated a lot.

    I think it’s useful advice, but it’s also a bit dramatic.

    I don’t need to enjoy drinking a glass of every wine I cook with.

    What matters more is that the wine isn’t faulty and doesn’t have characteristics I actively dislike for the dish.

    A $10 bottle can make a perfectly good sauce.

    A $100 bottle is mostly wasted in one.

    And something sold as cooking wine can sometimes contain salt or other ingredients that change how it should be used.

    Read the label rather than relying entirely on the words on the front.

    What Can I Substitute?

    This depends on what the alcohol is doing.

    If it’s mostly providing acidity, I might use:

    Stock + a little vinegar
    Stock + lemon juice

    If it’s providing liquid and savoury depth:

    Chicken, beef or vegetable stock can often work.

    If it’s providing sweetness, as with mirin:

    A small amount of sugar or honey alongside another liquid may get closer.

    If it’s providing a distinctive fermented flavour, as with Shaoxing:

    Dry sherry is often a more useful substitute than simply using stock.

    But I don’t believe every alcoholic ingredient needs a perfect alcohol-free imitation.

    Sometimes I’d rather make a slightly different but good sauce than create a complicated substitute trying to reproduce something it can’t.

    My Starting Substitution Guide

    If the recipe calls forI’d consider
    Dry white wineStock + small squeeze lemon or splash white wine vinegar
    Red wineBeef/vegetable stock + small amount red wine vinegar
    Shaoxing wineDry sherry
    SakeDry sherry in some dishes, or stock for alcohol-free cooking
    MirinSake + sweetness, or water/stock + sweetness for alcohol-free
    BrandyOften simply omit or use stock, depending on the sauce
    BeerStock, although the resulting flavour will be different

    These aren’t exact replacements.

    They’re starting points.

    Alcohol and Salt

    This is something I pay particular attention to with Asian cooking wines.

    Plain wine usually doesn’t contribute much salt.

    Salted cooking wine can.

    If I’m making a sauce containing Shaoxing cooking wine, soy sauce and oyster sauce, I’ve potentially got three salty ingredients before I’ve touched the salt shaker.

    That’s why I generally build the sauce first and adjust the final seasoning afterwards.

    Alcohol and Sweetness

    Alcoholic ingredients can also contain very different amounts of sugar.

    Dry white wine isn’t equivalent to sweet white wine.

    Dry sherry isn’t equivalent to cream sherry.

    Sake isn’t equivalent to mirin.

    A sweet wine reduced in a saucepan can become considerably sweeter.

    So when I’m substituting one alcohol for another, sweetness is one of the first things I consider.

    What I Keep at Home

    I don’t think a home kitchen needs a bar full of alcohol specifically for cooking.

    For the way I cook, a useful small collection would be:

    Shaoxing wine for Chinese cooking.

    Dry white wine when I’m making seafood, chicken, pasta or pan sauces.

    Dry red wine for richer meat dishes and braises.

    Sake and mirin when I’m cooking Japanese-style dishes often enough to justify keeping them.

    Everything beyond that depends on what I’m actually cooking.

    And if I already have an appropriate bottle open for drinking, I’m obviously more likely to use that than open another one just to put 100 ml into dinner.

    My Quick Guide

    If I’m cooking seafood or a light pan sauce:
    Dry white wine

    If I’m cooking beef, lamb or a rich braise:
    Dry red wine

    If I’m cooking Cantonese or Chinese:
    Shaoxing wine

    If I’m cooking Japanese and want something clean and savoury:
    Sake

    If I need sweetness and glaze in Japanese cooking:
    Mirin

    If I need a Shaoxing substitute:
    Dry sherry

    If I’m making a rich mushroom or cream sauce:
    Brandy can be excellent

    If I’m making a stew or batter:
    Consider beer

    The Main Thing I’ve Learned

    Alcohol isn’t one ingredient.

    Even calling something “wine” doesn’t tell me enough.

    What matters is whether I’m trying to add acidity, sweetness, fermented flavour, aroma, bitterness, richness or simply enough liquid to lift everything stuck to the bottom of a pan.

    Once I understand why the alcohol is there, it becomes much easier to decide which bottle to use, how much to add, whether I should reduce it, and whether I need it at all.

    I don’t want to use something simply because a recipe tells me to.

    I want to understand what it’s doing to the food.

  • Cooking with Mushrooms & Fungi

    Cooking with Mushrooms & Fungi

    From everyday button mushrooms to shiitake, wood ear and snow fungus

    I used to think of mushrooms mostly as different versions of the same ingredient. Button mushrooms, Swiss browns, shiitake, whatever was available.

    The more I’ve cooked with them, especially across Chinese, Vietnamese and Western dishes, the more I’ve realised how differently they behave.

    Some mushrooms are great for browning in a hot pan. Some are better at soaking up sauces and adding umami to a dish. Others, particularly some of the fungi used in Chinese cooking, are there as much for their texture as their flavour.

    Growing up with Chinese and Vietnamese food also meant ingredients like dried shiitake and wood ear never seemed particularly unusual to me. But they’re used very differently from the button mushrooms, Swiss browns and portobellos I’d later cook with in Western dishes.

    So this isn’t meant to be a guide to every edible fungus in the world. It’s a collection of the ones I actually cook with, what I think they’re good at, and how I use them.

    Mushrooms Aren’t All Interchangeable

    You can substitute one mushroom for another in plenty of recipes, but the result isn’t necessarily going to be the same.

    A button mushroom cooked in butter becomes soft and juicy. A king oyster mushroom can stay dense and almost meaty. Dried shiitake can flavour an entire braise. Wood ear might contribute very little flavour but give a stir-fry a completely different texture.

    That’s why I find it more useful to choose mushrooms based on what I want them to do in the dish, rather than simply treating “mushrooms” as one ingredient.

    Mushroom / FungusFlavourTextureI like it for
    ButtonMildSoft and juicyBreakfasts, pasta, sauces
    Swiss brown / CreminiEarthier and more savouryFirmPasta, pan-frying, sauces
    PortobelloRich and earthyDense and meatyGrilling, roasting
    ShiitakeStrong savoury/umamiFirm, slightly chewyStir-fries, soups, braises
    Dried shiitakeVery savoury and aromaticDense and chewyChinese braises, soups, stocks
    OysterMild and savouryTenderStir-fries, high-heat cooking
    King oysterMildDense and meatySearing, grilling, stir-fries
    EnokiVery mildFine and slightly crispHotpot and soups
    ShimejiSavoury, slightly nuttyFirmStir-fries, soups, mixed mushroom dishes
    Wood earVery mildCrunchy and springyChinese stir-fries, soups
    Snow fungusAlmost neutralDelicate, slightly gelatinousChinese soups and desserts

    The Ones I Use

    Button Mushrooms

    Probably the most straightforward mushroom and the one I think of when a Western recipe simply says “mushrooms.”

    They’re mild enough to take on butter, garlic, herbs, cream, wine and other stronger flavours without dominating the dish.

    I use them when I want mushrooms to be part of a dish rather than the flavour of the dish.

    Good for: breakfast, pasta, creamy sauces, pizza, soups and simple pan-fried mushrooms.

    Swiss Brown / Cremini

    These are one of my favourite easy upgrades from button mushrooms.

    They’re still versatile, but I find them a little deeper and more savoury. They also hold their shape nicely when browned.

    If I’m making a mushroom pasta or something where the mushrooms are more important to the finished dish, I’ll generally choose these over buttons.

    Good for: pasta, risotto, pan sauces, steak sides and mixed mushroom dishes.

    Portobello

    Portobellos are essentially the big, mature end of the common mushroom family, but in cooking they behave almost like their own ingredient.

    Their size and firmer texture means you can grill or roast them without them disappearing into the dish.

    I particularly like them when I want the mushroom itself to be one of the main components rather than chopped into a sauce.

    Good for: grilling, roasting, burgers, stuffing and substantial vegetable dishes.

    Asian Mushrooms

    Shiitake

    Shiitake is where mushroom flavour starts becoming much more obvious.

    It has a strong savoury character and considerably more personality than a button mushroom. I use it frequently in Chinese-style cooking where that stronger mushroom flavour works with soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger and garlic.

    Fresh shiitake and dried shiitake are also different enough that I don’t really think of them as identical ingredients.

    Good for: stir-fries, noodles, soups, steamed dishes and braises.

    Dried Shiitake / 冬菇

    This deserves its own section.

    Drying shiitake concentrates and changes its aroma. Once rehydrated, dried shiitake has a much stronger flavour than fresh shiitake and a denser, chewier texture.

    It’s one of those pantry ingredients where the soaking liquid can be almost as useful as the mushroom itself.

    I usually soak dried shiitake until completely softened, squeeze out the excess water, remove the tough stem and then slice or use them whole depending on the dish.

    Don’t automatically throw away the soaking liquid.

    Once strained to remove grit, it can be added to braises, soups, sauces or rice for extra mushroom flavour.

    That’s particularly useful when I want more savoury depth without simply adding more soy or oyster sauce.

    Oyster Mushrooms

    Oyster mushrooms are much more delicate.

    Rather than cutting them neatly, I generally like tearing them into natural pieces. The irregular edges brown particularly well.

    They can become quite soft if slowly cooked in liquid, so when I’m using them in a stir-fry I prefer a hot pan and relatively short cooking time.

    They’re also great with garlic, lemongrass and chilli.

    Good for: stir-fries, high-heat pan frying, noodles and vegetarian dishes.

    King Oyster Mushrooms

    Despite the name, king oyster mushrooms cook very differently from ordinary oyster mushrooms.

    The thick stem is the interesting part.

    It’s dense, firm and almost meaty, which means it can be sliced, scored, seared or grilled rather than simply tossed through a dish.

    They also don’t have an overpowering mushroom flavour, so they’re particularly good at taking on marinades and sauces.

    Good for: searing, grilling, stir-fries, skewers and dishes where you want substantial mushroom texture.

    Enoki

    Enoki is much more about texture than strong mushroom flavour.

    The long thin stems soften quickly while retaining a little bite, so I don’t cook them for very long.

    They’re one of those ingredients I associate immediately with hotpot. Drop them into the broth towards the end and they really don’t need much else.

    Good for: hotpot, soups, noodle dishes and quick stir-fries.

    Shimeji

    Shimeji sits somewhere between delicate mushrooms and firmer varieties for me.

    It holds together well, has a pleasant savoury flavour and works particularly well when mixed with other mushrooms.

    One important difference from some other mushrooms is that shimeji should be cooked rather than eaten raw, as cooking removes its unpleasant raw bitterness.

    Good for: stir-fries, soups, pasta and mixed mushroom dishes.

    Then There Are the Fungi

    Some ingredients I’ve always associated with the general mushroom category in cooking don’t behave much like conventional mushrooms at all.

    That’s one reason I’ve called this page Mushrooms & Fungi.

    Wood Ear / 木耳

    Wood ear is a perfect example.

    I don’t use it because I want something to taste strongly of mushrooms. Its flavour is very mild.

    I use it for the texture.

    Once properly rehydrated, it’s springy, slightly crunchy and provides a completely different bite from the meat and vegetables around it.

    That’s particularly useful in Chinese stir-fries where several contrasting textures can be part of the same dish.

    Dried wood ear expands a lot, so you generally need much less than you think.

    Good for: stir-fries, soups, dumpling fillings and cold Chinese dishes.

    Snow Fungus / 雪耳

    Snow fungus is another ingredient that’s more about texture than mushroom flavour.

    Once soaked it expands into delicate translucent clusters. Depending on how long it’s cooked, it can retain some bite or become much softer and almost gelatinous.

    Unlike most of the mushrooms on this page, it’s also commonly used in Chinese sweet soups and desserts.

    Good for: Chinese soups, slow-cooked dishes and traditional sweet soups.

    Fresh vs Dried Mushrooms

    This is particularly important in Chinese cooking.

    Dried mushrooms aren’t necessarily an inferior substitute for fresh ones. Sometimes the dried version is the ingredient you actually want.

    Fresh shiitake gives you a relatively clean mushroom flavour and tender texture.

    Dried shiitake gives you a stronger aroma, chewier texture and flavoured soaking liquid.

    So if a Chinese braise specifically calls for dried shiitake, replacing it with fresh shiitake will still give you mushrooms, but it won’t produce exactly the same dish.

    How I Brown Mushrooms

    One of the biggest improvements I made to cooking mushrooms was simply learning to stop moving them around constantly.

    Mushrooms contain a lot of water. Put too many into a small pan and they’ll release moisture faster than it can evaporate. Instead of browning, they effectively steam.

    For mushrooms I actually want browned:

    1. Get the pan properly hot.
    2. Don’t overcrowd it.
    3. Add enough oil or fat to lightly coat the pan.
    4. Add the mushrooms.
    5. Leave them alone.
    6. Let one side develop colour before tossing or turning.
    7. Add easily burnt ingredients such as minced garlic later.

    If I’m cooking a large quantity, I’d rather use two batches than pile everything into one pan.

    This doesn’t apply equally to every fungus. I’m not trying to develop a golden crust on snow fungus or wood ear.

    Again, it comes back to asking what I want that particular ingredient to do.

    Mushrooms and Oil

    Mushrooms can seem to make oil disappear.

    Their structure allows them to absorb liquid and fat, particularly early in cooking. It’s tempting to keep pouring more oil into the pan every time it looks dry.

    I try not to.

    As the mushrooms cook and release their own water, things usually start moving around the pan more easily.

    If I’m trying to keep a dish relatively light, I’ll add oil gradually rather than automatically giving the mushrooms everything they’ll absorb.

    When I Salt Mushrooms

    You’ve probably heard that salting mushrooms too early makes them release water and prevents browning.

    There’s some truth behind the observation that salt encourages moisture to come out, but I don’t treat “never salt mushrooms early” as an absolute rule.

    If I want maximum browning, I’ll usually get some colour onto them first and season afterwards.

    If they’re going into a sauce, soup or braise where browning isn’t particularly important, I’m much less concerned about when the salt goes in.

    For me, pan temperature and overcrowding make a bigger practical difference than obsessing over the exact second the salt touches the mushrooms.

    Cleaning Mushrooms

    I don’t think mushrooms need to be treated as though a drop of water will ruin them.

    If they’re relatively clean, I’ll brush or wipe away visible dirt.

    If they’re genuinely dirty, I’ll rinse them quickly and dry them rather than eating dirt for the sake of culinary tradition.

    What I don’t do is leave fresh mushrooms sitting in water unnecessarily.

    For dried mushrooms and fungi, soaking is obviously a completely different story because rehydrating them is part of preparing the ingredient.

    What I’d Substitute

    There isn’t a perfect mushroom substitution chart because it depends on what the mushroom is doing in the recipe.

    But as a starting point:

    Button ↔ Swiss brown
    Usually an easy substitution.

    Swiss brown ↔ Portobello
    Similar flavour family, although you’ll need to account for the much larger size.

    Fresh shiitake ↔ oyster/shimeji
    Possible in many stir-fries, but the flavour and texture will change.

    Oyster ↔ king oyster
    They’re related, but I don’t consider them direct substitutes because the textures are so different.

    Fresh shiitake ↔ dried shiitake
    Possible sometimes, but definitely not equivalent. Dried shiitake is substantially more intense.

    Wood ear ↔ conventional mushrooms
    Not really. If wood ear is there for crunch, replacing it with button mushrooms misses the point.

    Snow fungus ↔ conventional mushrooms
    Again, not really interchangeable.

    Building a Mixed Mushroom Dish

    If I’m using several varieties together, I don’t necessarily want three mushrooms that all do the same thing.

    I’d rather combine different characteristics.

    For example:

    Swiss brown + shiitake + oyster

    gives me a familiar browned mushroom, a stronger umami mushroom and something more delicate.

    Or:

    Shiitake + king oyster + wood ear

    gives me strong mushroom flavour, dense meaty texture and crunch.

    That’s much more interesting to me than simply adding more varieties for the sake of saying a dish contains five mushrooms.

    Mushrooms in Different Cuisines

    One of the things I like most about mushrooms is seeing how differently they’re treated around the world.

    In a Western-style dish I might cook Swiss browns in butter with garlic and thyme.

    In a Cantonese dish I might use dried shiitake with oyster sauce, ginger and Shaoxing wine.

    For Vietnamese cooking I might stir-fry oyster mushrooms with lemongrass and fish sauce.

    In Japanese-inspired cooking I might pair shimeji and shiitake with miso, soy or butter.

    The ingredient might broadly be a mushroom, but the reason I’ve chosen that particular mushroom can be completely different.

    That’s really the point of this page.

    Don’t just choose a mushroom. Choose what you want the mushroom to do.

    My Quick Guide

    If I want mild and versatile: button.

    If I want a stronger everyday mushroom: Swiss brown.

    If I want large and meaty: portobello.

    If I want strong umami: shiitake.

    If I want deep Chinese mushroom flavour: dried shiitake.

    If I want delicate pieces that brown well: oyster.

    If I want a dense, meaty bite: king oyster.

    If I want something for hotpot: enoki.

    If I want small, firm mushrooms: shimeji.

    If I want crunch: wood ear.

    If I want delicate texture in Chinese soups or desserts: snow fungus.