Mushroom and Walnut Casserole

INGREDIENTS 

• Potatoes, washed and chopped into 2cm pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil x2
• 500 - 700g mushrooms, thinly sliced. In this photographed version I used button mushrooms, shiitake and oyster mushrooms - up to you!
• 3 shallots, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp tomato passata
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp flour
• 20g butter, melted
• 100 ml fresh cream
• salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Heat oven to 200C. Arrange potatoes in a baking tray and sprinkle with olive oil, and salt. Bake for about 40 mins or until the potatoes are beginning to brown and are soft inside

In a large pan or wok, heat the remaining olive oil and gently cook the shallots and the mushrooms until the mushroom are just cooked. Remove all from pan and set aside.

In the same pan fry the onion and carrot for about 5 mins otlr until onions are soft. Add in the thyme, walnuts and garlic and cook for another 5 mins until fragrant. 

Add the wine, stock, passata and paprika and cook on low heat to reduce the liquid by about half. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Mix the flour and the melted butter while warm and make a paste. Add to the pan to thicken the sauce - this may take a few mins.

Add the cream. Then transfer the sauce into a casserole dish. Arrange the potatoes on top to cover the sauce.

Bake in the oven, uncovered for about 30 mins or until the potatoes are browned on top.

Serves 4