Looking for the ultimate vegan comfort food? Look no further than our Barley and Mushroom Stuffed Butternut with Nori Butter Recipe, packed full of warming and delicious flavours it’s sure to be a hit. Instead of small butternuts, you can use large butternut, halved to make this Barley and Mushroom Stuffed Butternut with Nori Butter recipe.
Barley and Mushroom Stuffed Butternut with Nori Butter
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 small butternut squash (1kg total), halved, seeds removed
1L vegetable stock
10g dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
250g mixed mushrooms, sliced (we used a mixture of Swiss brown, pine and shiitake mushrooms)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3⁄4 cup pearl barley
1 cup baby kale leaves
Nori Butter
1 sheet nori seaweed
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
125g unsalted vegan butter, softened
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced). Place the butternut, cut side down, on large oven trays lined with baking paper. Roast for 45 minutes.
Scoop out the flesh from each butternut half, leaving a 2cm border around all sides.
Meanwhile, place the stock and porcini mushrooms in a medium pan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
Heat half the extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep-sided pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, turning, for 6 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil, onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 4 minutes. Add the barley and stir to coat in the onions. Add the stock and porcini mushrooms one ladle at a time, stirring well until the stock is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock and cook for 30 minutes, or until the barley is tender and the stock has evaporated. Add the butternut flesh and mix to combine.
Meanwhile, to make the nori butter, place the nori in a small food processor (or spice grinder) and then process until finely chopped. Place in a small bowl, add the sesame seeds and butter, and mix to combine.
Spoon the barley mixture into each butternut half. Top with the mushrooms and half the nori butter, then return to the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Serve butternuts topped with the remaining nori butter and baby kale leaves on the side.
Smart Tip:
Instead of small butternuts, you can use 1 x 2kg butternut, halved. Roast for 1 hour or until tender.
Need some more vegan recipe inspiration? Try our Vegan Green Bibimbap Recipe.
