WELL HELLO! Sorry about my short leave of absence, but you see I was getting a brand new kitchen! It was not awesome while it was happening, but now that it’s in, it is UH-MAZING. It’s not a fancy one – but who knew how nice the simple stuff was? It’s just a total flat-pack job, and I don’t think I could love it more if it was hand crafted by pixies. Honestly. This kitchen is my world. HOWEVER. For the three days that we were out a kitchen, we had basically no access at all. So we were eating toast for breakfast, and then some pretty unhealthy and expensive food the rest of the time. Every now and then, there is nothing I love more than a take-away (Portuguese chicken is my world), but three days worth was hurting my hip pocket and my hips.
After a time of eating bushels of very fresh vegetables in very little dressing with only steamed fish (kind of) my mind has wandered back to those unhealthy treats. And I came up with this little sucka! It’s vegetarian, and substitutes that funghi friend to all vegetarian cooking, the mushroom, for the meat! Sideline – is anyone else hung up on old school stuffed mushrooms like I am? There used to be a restaurant up the road from my family home – it was like our family restaurant. Very fancy, but run by the nicest people, and I have held every restaurant experience since then up to this old stalwart. It was called Carlisle’s, and I wish it was still there. Anyway, a permanent fixture on their menu were these crispy stuffed mushrooms with rice pilaf. It was the most delicious and chic thing ever.
Using the inspiration of those beloved mushrooms, I decided to knock together this taco recipe for me and my man one lunchtime. The mushies are not stuffed, but are crumbed with crispy breadcrumbs and polenta (a la Carlisle’s)(I miss you Carlisle’s, please come back). Underneath the crispy mushrooms, is my cheat’s take on a kinda Vietnamese coleslaw. And the whole thing is drizzled with mayo and asian hot sauce. My hack’s vietnamese coleslaw is just assorted crunchy vegetables and cabbage tossed with nuoc cham – that punchy Vietnamese dipping sauce. The nuoc cham is a mix of lime juice, rice vinegar, red chilli, garlic, sugar and salt, and I love it like a son. LIKE A SON.
What the very sharp dressing does is lightly pickle all of the coleslaw ingredients, meaning you get hot, sharp, salty pickled slaw punctuating every bite of your taco. The mushrooms are crispy and salty on the outside, while remaining earthy and tender within. Wrap it in a tortilla, add your desired condiments and it’s actual takeaway heaven. I wish I had access to this kind of fast food at my doorstep. Someone please open a crazy asian fusion taco truck in my neighbourhood. Please?
Crispy Mushroom Tacos with Vietnamese Coleslaw
INGREDIENTS
For the Crispy Mushrooms:
2 large field mushrooms
1 egg
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup polenta
1 cup breadcrumbs To Serve:
Mini tortillas
Vietnamese Coleslaw (recipe below)
Sriracha (asian hot sauce)
Mayo Slice the mushrooms into pieces just under a centimetre thick. Now set up your crumbing station: in a small bowl, whisk together the egg and mustard with some salt and pepper. Place the flour with some salt and pepper into another small bowl and add the mushrooms. Place the breadcrumbs and polenta into a third small bowl. Toss the flour and mushrooms together, and then take one piece at a time and dip it first into the egg and then into the crumbs, until all the pieces are done. Heat about 1 cm of oil (olive or veg oil) in a small frying pan, to a medium heat, and fry each piece of mushroom until golden brown, turning about halfway through. Serve in a tortilla with a pile of vietnamese coleslaw, and a drizzle of mayo and hot sauce.
Vietnamese Coleslaw
INGREDIENTS
1 clove garlic
1/2 red chilli
3 tbsp rice vinegar
Juice 1 lime
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Assorted crunchy veggies and herbs (I used 1/4 of a small red cabbage, 1 carrot, 1 cucumber, 3 spring onions, a sprig each of basil and mint) Finely mince the chilli and garlic (or pound in a mortar and pestle) and place in a large serving bowl. Add the vinegar, lime juice, salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Taste the mix – you are looking for a balance of salty, sweet, sour and hot. It may need more sugar, but use your own tastebuds to decide! Finely slice your chosen veggies and herbs and throw them into the bowl with the dressing, toss very thoroughly and your done! It is excellent just as it is, but even better after about 15-20 minutes. Yum!
I love this. I am on such a taco trip at the moment and crumbed mushroom???? *sighs* that is just beautiful! Enjoy your new kitchen, it must be amazing! x
Thanks Sneh! The crumbed mushrooms are almost as good as my new kitchen. It is heaven.
Love the sound of this. I may be biased but nuc cham goes with almost everything… yeah speaking from a true Vietnamese person. hahaha and so glad there’s sriracha as well.. if I could leave a bottle in my hand bag at all times, I totally would.
I’m glad I have your tick of approval Tina! I totally agree – Sriracha and nuoc cham for the win!
I love those crumbed mushrooms! I make something similar myself. I just love how delicious and versatile mushrooms are.
Enjoy your new kitchen!
Thanks Jennifer! I am loving it.
I love the idea of the crispy mushrooms, the tacos sound perfect.
Thanks nik!
LOL at loving it like a son! And congratulations on your new kitchen! :D
Ha, thanks Lorraine.
These look fantastic!
I stumbled on your blog today and also love the marble cake – yum!
cannot wait to try it!
Thanks Sashi!
Those mushrooms! I’ve gotta try this.
They’re so good!
wow, I love the sound of those crispy mushrooms! This sounds like a great vegetarian taco.
Totally yummy!
These sound absolutely divine! How could anyone resist eating at least…3???
How did you know I ate three of these? Thanks Jen!
I would love a food truck to sit outside my door and feed me these all day. Thank goodness you’ve shared the recipe!! This is a must try for me…
-Shannon
a new kitchen is worth the wait :) i love the idea of crispy mushroom
This looks amazing! I love the idea of crispy mushrooms for this!
Congrats on your new kitchen! I am way jealous–mine is, to put it nicely, 1970s chic. You should post a little photo tour! And I am all over these tacos—such a nice change from the traditional chicken or carne asada!
Can’t wait to see your new kitchen! Yay!
This tacos are divine!!
Thanks Kiran!
These tacos are so pretty. I would have never thought of frying mushrooms like this! I always just default to sauteing. How very boring of me.
Nothing wrong with a little butter, a hot pan and some mushrooms! But a change is always good too.
These look wonderful! This is right up my taco-loving alley!