Roast Horopito Mushrooms with Freekeh, Hazelnuts and Pear

Steps

1. oven to 220°C. Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil. Line an oven tray (with a lip) with baking paper.
2. Mix together horopito spice mix, balsamic vinegar, water and olive oil in a shallow bowl and set aside. Remove stalks from mushrooms then place in bowl with horopito mix and toss to coat. Place, ribbed-side-up, on prepared tray and drizzle with any remaining horopito mix.
3. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes, until tender. While mushrooms roast, cook freekeh in pot of boiling water for 15-18 minutes, until tender with a slight bite. Drain well.
4. While freekeh cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a medium fry-pan on medium-high heat. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Add garlic, freekeh spices and tomato paste and cook a further 1 minute, until fragrant. Add wine/first measure of stock and simmer until almost evaporated.
5. Add tomatoes and second measure of stock and simmer on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and sauce has thickened.
6. Add cooked freekeh, spinach, butter and first measure of Parmesan to pan and cook for about 1 minute, until spinach has wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While sauce simmers, quarter pear, remove core then thinly slice.
7. divide freekeh between plates and top with roast horopito mushrooms. Scatter over pear, hazelnuts and remaining Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.