Portobello Mushrooms

So big and meaty are these handsome brown mushrooms that they can form the centrepiece of a meal often occupied by meat or fish.

1 In a deep saute pan heat a little olive oil. Add the mushrooms, trimmed and wiped, and fry gently on both sides until cooked through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a glass of red wine and a splash of soy sauce, cooking further to reduce the sauce to a flavourful glaze, and cook off the alcohol. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley, a mound of mashed potato and some steamed courgettes.

2 Trim and wipe and cut into slivers. Finely slice an onion, the tender inner leaves of a cabbage, a courgette or two, a pepper and a couple of tomatoes. Heat a little sunflower oil in a wok until smoking, then toss in the vegetables, stir frying for a few minutes. Add the juice of a lemon, salt, pepper and a squashed clove of garlic. Cook until the right texture for you. Some like them crisper than others. You can add slivers of organic chicken or fish to this. Small chunks of salmon are good too. Always add fish at the last minute, because it takes seconds only to cook and you want it to retain its integrity.