Description:
Adapted from one of my favourite chefs Jaime Oliver, this hearty soup is made from a choice selection of fresh mushrooms. The secret is in the freshness of the ingredients as well as in the fine touches which complete the meal...

Ingredients:
A handful of dried, powdered, porcini mushrooms
A generous selection of fresh wild mushrooms (portibello, white and brown Swiss buttons, oysters), cleaned and sliced, but set aside a handful of the nicer-looking mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped
A knob of butter
A handful of thyme, fresh if possible, if not dried
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
A portion of chicken/mushroom stock
A handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
A generous serving of Romano cheese
1 lemon
Cooking portions of olive oil
A dab of truffle oil for flavour

Directions:
Prepare the lemon by extracting the zest and obtaining half its juice. Mix with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.

Add olive oil to a heated pan, and lightly fry the unsliced, nicer-looking mushrooms. Drizzle a few drops of worchester sauce to taste if desired. Set aside for later.

In another heated casserole-type pan, add olive oil and allow time for the oil to warm up. Once ready, throw in the sliced fresh mushrooms and toss quickly for around a minute.

Sprinkle in the garlic, onion, butter and thyme, and a small portion of salt and pepper.

After about a minute, you will notice moisture draining out of the mushrooms. Sprinkle in the porcini powder at this point and allow the mixture to dry out.

Cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.

Once ready, add the stock, stirring it in gently. Bring to a boil and cook for another 15 minutes.

Add the parsley and Romano; and season to taste.

Serve in a bowl, and spoon in the lemon zest mixture right into the middle of the soup.

The dish is completed by sprinkling in the lightly fried mushrooms on top of the soup, and by drizzling a few drops of truffle oil right into the centre.

Best enjoyed with a serving of freshly grilled foccacia bread on the side.

Description:
A hearty meal of Japanese garlic rice, peppered with whiskey-beef, and sauted with Homeiji mushrooms, egg tofu, scrambled eggs, diced carrots and spring onions

Ingredients:
1 to 1/1/2 cups of Japanese rice
A bunch of garlic (finely diced)
A serving of beef cubes (finely diced)
1 bunch of Japanese Homeiji mushrooms (separated into individual stalks)
1 serving of egg tofu (finely sliced)
2 eggs
1 carrot (finely diced)
5 stalks of spring onions (finely sliced)
Scotch Whiskey/Japanese Sake for marinating beef
Black pepper to taste
Shoyu (Japanese soya sauce) to taste
Cooking portions of oil


Directions:
Season the finely-diced beef cubes in whiskey/sake and black pepper for at least 1/2 hour to 1 hour.

Cook the rice. Leave to cool.

Fry the beaten eggs in hot oil. Lightly scramble. Set aside.

Fry the tofu till golden brown. Set aside.

When the beef has been marinated, quickly fry the beef in hot oil, taking extra care to ensure that it does not overcook. Sprinkle shoyu for taste and rapidly remove from the pan. Save the marinate for later.

Fry the garlic in hot oil. When half of it becomes golden brown, add the carrots and allow the ingredients to slowly simmer, reducing the fire to medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and allow the mixture to sizzle. Spoon in small amounts of the beef marinate and stir occassionally. Reduce to low heat and cover the pan.

After about half a minute, remove the lid and spoon in the rice, gently stirring it such that the mixture does not clump. Continue stirring until all the rice has been added in an even manner. Pour in the remainder of the beef marinate and add a sprinkling of shoyu for taste. Allow the liquids to dry out.

When the rice glistens nicely, add the eggs and gently mix. The spring onions can then be added. The rice should be stirred evenly so that the bottom and sides do not overcook.

Switch off the fire and spoon in the beef, mixing evenly. Sprinkle in the tofu last, ensuring that it does not break.

The rice can then be served. Best enjoyed with a small glass of sake or shochiu.

Description:
A no-frills, easy to make, yet super delicious snack or meal.

Ingredients:
Hamburger buns
Minced beef/chicken
Onions (diced finely)
Olive Oil (only use Extra Virgin)
Breadcrumbs/corn flour
Egg
Cumin seeds (whole)
Fennel seeds (whole)
Black pepper
Salt
Grated Parmesan cheese
Mustard

Directions:
Lightly fry the onions in olive oil under low fire. When cooked, set aside and cool.

Using a blender or pestle and mortar, grind the cumin and fennel seeds to a powder form. Remove to a mixing bowl and add black pepper and salt. Add the minced meat and onions and mix evenly. Spoon in the mustard and cheese. Break in the egg and flour/breadcrumbs. If the mixture is too sticky, you can add more flour/breadcrumbs.

Spread the hamburger mixture onto grease-absorbant paper or kitchen towels, shaping it into nice, round hamburger shapes as desired. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Cook the hamburger pattie for 8 to 10 minutes on medium to high fire using olive oil to enhance the fragrance.

Serve on the hamburger buns, which have been lightly toasted and buttered. You can also serve with optional lettuce or tomatoes or even a slice of melted cheese or an egg, fried sunny-side up