Recipe and Images Amber Bremner
Chermoula is a North African oil-based sauce that is ideal for marinating anything that’s going on the heat. Packed with herbs, spices, garlic and lemon, it’s both bright, smoky and a little fiery, packing a real flavour punch. Here I’ve used it to marinate whole swiss brown mushrooms before grilling. Swiss brown mushrooms have a stronger flavour and firmer texture which makes them ideal for the barbecue, but you can swap them out for button mushrooms or large portobello mushrooms if you prefer. Served with creamy baba ganoush, these mushrooms are a knock out veggie dish for the summer season.
BABA GANOUSH
2 eggplants (about 300g each)
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½–1 tsp salt, to taste
pinch of smoked paprika
Start by making the baba ganoush, which can be done ahead of time.
Preheat oven to 220°C (or 200°C fanbake). Prick eggplants all over with a knife, wrap with aluminium foil and bake for 45 minutes, until completely tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Over a colander in the sink, use your hands to tear the eggplants open and pull the tender insides away from the skin. Discard skin as you go and drop the eggplant flesh into the colander to drain away excess liquid.
In a food processor, pulse eggplant flesh and remaining ingredients together until fairly smooth – don’t over do it. Taste and adjust salt to your liking. I find a teaspoon is about right, but it’s better to start with less as eggplants do vary in size. Store in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to serve. Leftover baba ganoush will keep for three days.
CHERMOULA
1 cup coriander, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
Blitz all ingredients together in a food processor until fairly smooth. Makes about ¾ cup.
MUSHROOMS
400g Swiss Brown mushrooms
oil for the barbecue
Clean mushrooms by brushing off any excess dirt. Remove stems if, like me, you find them unpleasant. In a mixing bowl, toss the mushrooms with two-thirds of the chermoula, ensuring they’re well coated. Set aside for at least half an hour before cooking.
Cook mushrooms on a hot barbecue, using the hot plate, not the grill. I like to cook them flat side down first, and spoon any dregs of chermoula into the centres. Once well browned on the bottom, flip and cook for a few minutes more. Serve with baba ganoush and a drizzle of the remaining chermoula. A hunk of sourdough to mop up the juices doesn’t go amiss.
