Chef Manoj Sharma‘s crisp, mouth-watering Chimichurri mushroomswith a delicious filling of cheese, deserves a special place on your party menu.
Chimichurri is a type of South American sauce made from fresh parsley, garlic, spices and olive oil that can be either a green or red version — green chimichurri or red chimichurri. Parsley and cool are the backbone of the sauce.
It may have its origin from the Spanish chirriburri sauce.
This sauce drizzled on mushrooms is a great starter for your drinks and cocktails.
Serve it with Sunita Harisinghani‘s Chicken cutlets.
Chef Sharma has been in the hospitality industry for 20 years, working on a cruise line.
Chimichurri mushrooms
Serves: 2-3
ingredients
- 250 g button mushrooms, choose the larger ones as they need to be filled
- 100 g grated cheese or vegan cheese
- 20 gm palak or spinach, washed, blanched and tossed
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp oregano flakes
- ½ teaspoon cool flakes
- Pinch of salt
- Breadcrumbs
- Oil
For the dough
- ½ teaspoon maiden or refined flour
- 10 g garlic powder
- 5 g white pepper
- Pinch of salt
- Water
For the chimichurri sauce
- Small bundle, approx. 30 g, fresh parsley leaves
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh or dried oregano
- 20 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 20 ml white wine vinegar
- 5 g freshly crushed peppercorns
- Dash red cool flakes
- Pinch of salt
To serve
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Microgreens, for decoration
- Dip of your choice
Method
For chimichurri
- Chop parsley, oregano, garlic finely.
In a bowl, combine chopped parsley, oregano, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, red chilly flakes.
Keep aside.
For the stuffed mushrooms
- Wash the mushrooms under running water.
Remove the stems. - In a bowl, combine the cheese, blanched spinach, chilly flakes, oregano flakes, salt, pepper.
Mix well to get a coarse mixture. - Fill the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of the mixture and put them in the fridge to harden for 5-10 minutes.
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a flat plate.
- Mix flour, garlic powder, white pepper, salt in a bowl.
Add water and mix to make a smooth dough.
Dip the stuffed mushrooms into the batter. - Coat the stuffed mushrooms with breadcrumbs.
Remove excess crumbs. - Heat oil in a kadhai until it is quite warm.
Deep fry the mushrooms in batches until golden brown.
Don’t fry them too long or the cheese will melt.
Drain the mushrooms on a plate lined with kitchen paper or kitchen paper.
To serve, add dollops of mayonnaise, tomato ketchup or a dip of your choice on a long dish.
Place the fried stuffed mushrooms on each blob (please see photo above) and drizzle chimichurri sauce on top of each blob.
Garnish with microgreens.
Serve hot.
Editor’s note: For those who do not eat garlic, skipping the garlic will not be a serious loss.
Chimichurri sauce can also be drizzled on roasted or mashed potatoes, fried chicken, grilled plain paneer, sautéed vegetables, grilled shrimp or fish, steak, eggs or even added to a sandwich.
Chef Manoj Sharma is the executive chef at RCB Bar and Cafe, a pub owned by Diageo India, Bengaluru.