Mushrooms

These are low in calories and a source of the B vitamins B2, B3, B5 and even Vitamin D (if they’ve been exposed to sunlight – check the label). Mushrooms absolutely fascinate me, BBC Four aired a documentary called The Magic of Mushrooms in 2014, and I must have watched it, rapt with wonder, about a dozen times. Every kind of edible mushroom has a place on my dinner plate. Shiitake are dense and meaty, so good for making burgers, or as a meat replacement in a bourguignon, stroganoff or other hefty stew. Oyster mushrooms are delicate and beautiful, ideal for stir-frying or when you want to impress. Chestnut mushrooms are deep and nutty, button mushrooms firm and with a light flavour, and portobello mushrooms are the big ones ideal for roasting, stuffing or just slinging between two halves of a burger bun with a dollop of ketchup and mustard and a shrug. Mushrooms are so versatile, I try to include them in my diet three times a week, for breakfast, on toast, in a deep-filled toastie, in stews, casseroles, curries and more. I could write more but you get the idea. My close friend Georgi is violently allergic to mushrooms – and it is a testament to the strength of our friendship that I will exorcise all trace of them from my kitchen to cook for her now and again.