Recipes Vicki Ravlich Horan, Images Bridie Thompson
I love having a pouch of Tatua cooking cream in my fridge. It’s thicker than regular cream, lower in fat and it holds up to heat, so it’s perfect for adding to sauces.
Creamy Mushrooms
These versatile mushrooms are just the thing served on toast for a hearty brunch, or topped on a steak or chicken breast for a delicious dinner option. Amp up the umami factor with a tablespoon of miso paste.
25g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1–2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400–500g mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp miso paste (or Worcestershire sauce)
½ cup Tatua cooking cream
salt and cracked black pepper
Melt butter and olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the onion. Sauté for a few minutes before adding the garlic and mushrooms. Continue to cook for 3–4 minutes, then add the miso paste (or Worcestershire sauce). Continue to cook, stirring often, for another five minutes until mushrooms are soft and brown.
Stir in the cream and turn the heat down to low. Cook carefully for another 5 minutes or until the cream has reduced and thickened. Check and adjust the seasoning before serving over your steak.
Mushrooms love flavour, so add some thyme or boost the mushroom flavour with some porcini powder or truffle paste (both available from Vetro).
Pan Sauce
This simple technique turns the pan juices into a quick and tasty sauce every time. I’ve done it here with steak, but it also works for chicken, especially if you’re cooking a breast with skin on.
1–2 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 small shallot, finely chopped
dash of brandy or white wine
½ cup beef stock
¼ cup Tatua cooking cream
While your steak is resting, using the pan you used to cook the steak in, turn down the heat, add in the oil or butter along with the shallot. Sauté for a minute before adding a dash of brandy or white wine and cook until this has evaporated. Pour in the beef stock and cooking cream and turn the heat up to high and reduce by half.
Variations:
Peppercorn – Add 3–4 tbsp of green peppercorns (roughly chopped) when sautéing the onions.
Herbs – Add some chopped thyme or rosemary in when sautéing the shallots. Instead of brandy or wine, add a squeeze of lemon juice and some zest.
Miso magic – Add in a tbsp of miso paste or whole grain mustard when you add the stock and cream.
