Mushroom Salad

A few weeks ago my sister Melody came to stay with us for a few days from Victoria. Her extra set of hands around here were much appreciated with my 2 month old and almost 2 year old boys, hence the lack of blogging lately. To be honest it's mostly just been pasta and take out lately and I'm embarrassed to admit we've sort of become regulars at the local Mucho Burrito.  But hey, kids eat free and it's as healthy as semi-fast food can get so I don't let myself feel guilty about it.

As almost vegetarians, Melody and I have both been eying this beautiful cookbook for quite a while with its beautiful food photography and totally mouth watering looking vegetarian dishes. So before we both buy yet another cookbook, it we decided to give it a test run by borrowing it from the library first and trying out a few recipes. Here is one recipe we made and it was a success. Chef Yotam uses herbs and ingredients in ways I would never think would taste good together i.e. mushrooms and dill? but it works just right.

I'm going to test drive a few more recipes from this book but I will probably end of purchasing it. There's only so many times the library will allow me to renew books after all:)

Marinated Mushrooms with Walnut and Tahini Yoghurt
adapted slightly from PLENTY by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (the original recipe calls for white wine vinegar. I've since made it with apple cider vinegar and that works really well)
1 tbsp maple syrup
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
3 cups sliced beech muchroons
2 cups other mushrooms
3 cups chick peas (recipe calls for lava beans)
2/3 cups walnuts
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp chopped oregano

Sauce

1/2 cup plain yoghurt (recipe recommends greek yoghurt)

21/2 tbsp tahini

1 garlic clove

juice of 1 lemon