Chermoula Baked Mushrooms with Persian Spiced Buckwheat & Preserved Lemon Cashew Cream {vegan}

Spice up your cold winter evenings with this fragrant vegan recipe of Chermoula Baked Mushrooms with Persian Spiced Buckwheat and a Preserved Lemon Cashew Cream.

There’s a reason why mushrooms are often refereed to as meat for vegetarians. Look how juicy and succulent these gorgeous Chermoula Baked Mushrooms have become after 25 minutes in the oven.

While I’d be more than happy to eat the mushrooms alone, I’ve served them on a bed of Persian Spiced Buckwheat for a truly Autumnal dish, which I’m relishing, as the weather here in Brisbane finally starts to take a cooler turn, especially in the evenings.

If you don’t have buckwheat you can sub bulgur wheat or couscous easily here, which will result in a lighter dish.

Serve with your favourite greens on the side, or some sweet roasted baby carrots, and a dollop of preserved lemon cashew cream (or yoghurt, if you can tolerate dairy) and you have a hearty evening meal.

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Chermoula Mushrooms with Persian Spiced Buckwheat and Preserved Lemon Cashew Cream

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 4

Author Jennifer Schmidt

Ingredients

• CHERMOULA MUSHROOMS:
• 1 bunch coriander cilantro
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander cilantro
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 small red chili deseeded
• zest and juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 8 large portobello mushrooms
• PERSIAN SPICED BUCKWHEAT:
• 2/3 cup buckwheat groats
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 6 dates deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup toasted pistachios roughly chopped
• PRESERVED LEMON CASHEW CREAM:
• 1/2 cup cashews preferably soaked overnight
• 1/3 cup water or almond milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp of preserved lemon rind finely chopped
• pinch of salt
• TO SERVE:
• leaves mixed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Place all of the ingredients for the chermoula mushrooms, except the mushrooms, in a food processor. Process until a paste forms. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and score the mushrooms with a cross, making sure not to cut all the way through the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms top side down in the tray and spoon 3/4 of the chermoula over the mushrooms, making sure the mushroom is well coated. Baked for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mushroom is juicy and tender.
2. Meanwhile, to make the Persian Spiced Buckwheat, toast the buckwheat in a large frying pan over a medium heat for around 5 minutes, or until lightly golden and smelling toasty. Place the water, spices, sea salt and dates in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the buckwheat, stir and cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the buckwheat is tender. Keep warm until ready to serve. Just before serving add the pomegranate seeds and pistachios.
3. To make the preserved lemon cashew cream place the ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth, adding more water or almond milk as needed to form a smooth paste.
4. To serve divide the Persian buckwheat and mushrooms between 4 plates. Top the mushrooms with remaining chermoula. Serve with mixed leaves or roasted baby carrots and top with the preserved lemon cashew cream.