Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

These giant, meaty mushrooms make a flavorful bed for fresh herbs and tomatoes, crunchy with pine nuts, and topped with sizzling cheese. Nice on a bed of soft polenta accompanied by a dry white wine. And aren’t they beautiful!

Ingredients: Makes 2

2 Portobello mushrooms

3 crimini mushrooms

1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

Olive oil cooking spray

½ tsp minced fresh garlic

½ minced shallot

¼ tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 tsp fresh oregano and ¼ tsp dried oregano

1 tsp chopped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil

a pinch of ground sage

1 Tb pine nuts

1 medium plum tomato

a few shakes salt (to taste)

a shake red pepper flakes

several grinds black pepper

1 tsp dry sherry

1 Tb blue cheese dressing

3 Tb grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp Panko breadcrumbs

Polenta

I like to make extra so I can have some for breakfast. Doubled amount is in parentheses.

Instant Pot Polenta:

olive oil nonstick spray.

1/2 (1) cup polenta

1/2 (1) tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground sage

2 (4) cups corn cob water or plain water plus 1/3 cup water

Making corn cob water: This is a delicious addition to polenta, giving it a sweet fresh corn taste. Boil corn cobs and then simmer covered for an hour. Scrape any remaining corn off the cob with a sharp knife. You can do this in advance.

Spray pot with olive oil spray. Bring corn cob water or plain water to boil using the saute function. Add polenta, salt, sage to 1/3 cup cool water and then whisk in the boiling water until it begins to thicken. Turn off, then put on keep warm setting and cover while making mushrooms. Whisk every few minutes until it is creamy.

Stove Top Polenta:

2 1/2 (5) cups corn cob water or plain water

1/2 (1) tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground sage

1/2 (1) cup polenta

Start the polenta first, so it will be ready when the mushrooms are done. It usually takes about 45 minutes to cook on the stove. Heat 2 1/2 cups water to boiling, add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp butter and 1/4 tsp ground sage. Mix 1/2 cup polenta thoroughly with 1/3 cup cold water. Stir it into the boiling water until smooth. Cook for 45 minutes over low heat, stirring every 5 minutes or so. You can add a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan when it is done cooking.

Directions for Stuffed Portobellos

I make these in my toaster oven.

Rinse mushrooms and wipe with paper towel. Cut out the stems from the portobellos and discard. Spray olive oil on both sides of mushrooms and bake gill side up in 450’ oven (or toaster oven) for 10 minutes.

While mushrooms are baking, mince the garlic, shallot, and rosemary.  Sauté shallot in 1 Tb olive oil until cooked and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, pine nuts  and rosemary and saute another minute.

Let mushrooms cool, then pour the liquid from the cooked portobello mushroom into the pan. Chop the crimini mushrooms.

Stir the crimini mushrooms and tomato into the garlic and shallots. Add the oregano, basil, sage, dry sherry, salt and peppers.

Rinse baking tray and then smear with a with a bit of olive oil. Place mushrooms gill side up on it.

Mix the blue cheese dressing and 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan cheese into the filling mix.  Spoon into stem indentation and spread mixture over the top of the mushrooms. Mix 1 Tb Parmesan with 1 Tb Panko and sprinkle on top.  Broil about 5 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.