Mushroom scallops with pesto and lentils
These king oyster mushroom scallops combine a golden-brown fried texture with a fresh parsley pesto made from baby spinach and cashews, served on a bed of brown lentils. The simple yet refined dish is ideal as an autumnal starter or a light main course for dinner parties and is easily made vegan.
Ingredients · Servings 4
- 500 g king oyster mushrooms
- 200 g cooked brown or green lentils
- pepper
- salty
- olive oil
- 1 cup of cashews or pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 50 gr baby spinach
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 citroen
- 2 tbsp (vegan) Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove of garlic
- roasted cashews
- pink peppercorns
Method · 20 min
- Cut the stems of the king oyster mushrooms crosswise into thick slices of 2 to 3 centimeters. You can also slice the rest of the mushroom and fry it along with them.
- Heat a generous splash of olive oil (or butter if not vegan) in a large, wide pan. Fry the slices for about 10 minutes over medium heat until golden brown and al dente. Turn them over occasionally so that they brown on both sides.
- Season with salt and pepper just before serving. Do not add the salt sooner, otherwise the mushrooms will develop a rubbery texture.
- For the pesto, coarsely chop the cashews or pumpkin seeds in a food processor or chopper.
- Add the parsley leaves and baby spinach and grind them finely. Then mix in the olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, and some water (as much as needed to obtain a smooth pesto).
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. I used half a large teaspoon of sea salt. You can also add some grated garlic and Parmesan cheese for extra flavor if the pesto doesn't need to be vegan.
- Drain the lentils in a colander and rinse well. Serve them on a bed of parsley pesto. Finish with the mushroom scallops and optionally some roasted cashews, pink peppercorns, and baby spinach.
