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ysabetwordsmithI made this tonight. It was really good, and we plan to make it again.
"Stuffed Portobellos with Ham and Cheese"
Ingredients:
large portobello caps
olive oil
spices
diced ham
shredded cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Pour a little olive oil into a small dish, maybe a tablespoon per large cap. You'll need enough to coat the back of all the mushroom caps, so it depends on how many of those you have; I had two. Choose a full-flavor olive oil if you have it; I also added a bit of truffle-infused olive oil. Add a pinch or two of spices per cap. I used Spicely All Purpose Seasoning. Include salt and pepper if they're not in your spice blend; I added mixed pepper and truffle salt. Use a pastry brush to mix the spices into the oil, then brush over the back of the mushroom caps.
Put the caps gill-side-up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425ºF for about 10 minutes, until the caps are soft and releasing their juices.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and close the oven. Put the baking sheet on a heat-resistant surface. Fill each cap with a layer of diced ham. Top with shredded cheese.
Bake the stuffed caps for about 5 minutes, until all the cheese has melted. Serve hot.
Notes:
Portobello mushrooms get quite large and have a dark, meaty flavor. Usually the big caps are sold pre-cleaned. If yours aren't, you'll need to wash and dry them before trying to brush the oil on, because it won't stick to wet caps -- they get slippery when wet. The stems should either be removed or cut short. If they're not, you'll need to do that, but be careful because mushroom caps break easily. The raw stems are edible, so you can just eat them plain if you wish.
Olive oil has many benefits. If you're not a fan of the flavor, you can use the flavorless kind. However, olive oil can be infused with many other exciting flavors, and now is a perfect time to use them, because the oil soaks right into the spongy mushroom caps. You can buy infused olive oil or make your own. I included the least-worst shopping page I could find, but honestly, everything online seems overpriced. Check your local international food store; I only paid a few bucks for my truffle-infused olive oil from a bulk barrel. You can also flavor your own olive oil using hot or cold methods.
For spices, you can use almost any that you like. This is a good place for your favorite spice blend. I used Spicely All Purpose Seasoning, which is similar to the Italian blend that I wanted but didn't seem to have. Harissa, dukkah, herbs de Provence, etc. should also work well.
Ham has a good strong flavor that complements the portobello. However, almost any meat will work well in this recipe, so it's a good place to use up leftovers. If you choose a cured meat such as ham or bacon, use little or no salt in dressing the mushrooms; however, remember that mushrooms aren't nearly as good with no salt at all.
To make this a vegetarian recipe, replace the meat with a plant protein such as beans or crispy-fried tofu. Spiced lentils leap readily to mind, so consider this as a leftover-makeover for your favorite dal.
Any good melty cheese should work in this recipe. I used shredded cheddar. Swiss, gouda, mozerella, provelle, etc. should also work. To make a truly gourmet version, use Comté.
To make this a dairy-free recipe, there are several promising options. First, you can top the mushrooms with a plant-based cheese substitute. Because these usually don't melt well, it's better to mince or crumble them and put them on after the mushroom caps come out of the oven. However, there are some nice vegan "cream cheese" products, so consider stuffing the caps with that and putting a contrast ingredient on top. Second, you can top them with chopped vegetables such as tomato or bell pepper, which will roast and char very nicely if you raise the grill toward the top of your oven. Other after-cooking toppers include minced herbs such as cilantro or chopped nuts such as hazelnuts.
"Stuffed Portobellos with Ham and Cheese"
Ingredients:
large portobello caps
olive oil
spices
diced ham
shredded cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Pour a little olive oil into a small dish, maybe a tablespoon per large cap. You'll need enough to coat the back of all the mushroom caps, so it depends on how many of those you have; I had two. Choose a full-flavor olive oil if you have it; I also added a bit of truffle-infused olive oil. Add a pinch or two of spices per cap. I used Spicely All Purpose Seasoning. Include salt and pepper if they're not in your spice blend; I added mixed pepper and truffle salt. Use a pastry brush to mix the spices into the oil, then brush over the back of the mushroom caps.
Put the caps gill-side-up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425ºF for about 10 minutes, until the caps are soft and releasing their juices.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and close the oven. Put the baking sheet on a heat-resistant surface. Fill each cap with a layer of diced ham. Top with shredded cheese.
Bake the stuffed caps for about 5 minutes, until all the cheese has melted. Serve hot.
Notes:
Portobello mushrooms get quite large and have a dark, meaty flavor. Usually the big caps are sold pre-cleaned. If yours aren't, you'll need to wash and dry them before trying to brush the oil on, because it won't stick to wet caps -- they get slippery when wet. The stems should either be removed or cut short. If they're not, you'll need to do that, but be careful because mushroom caps break easily. The raw stems are edible, so you can just eat them plain if you wish.
Olive oil has many benefits. If you're not a fan of the flavor, you can use the flavorless kind. However, olive oil can be infused with many other exciting flavors, and now is a perfect time to use them, because the oil soaks right into the spongy mushroom caps. You can buy infused olive oil or make your own. I included the least-worst shopping page I could find, but honestly, everything online seems overpriced. Check your local international food store; I only paid a few bucks for my truffle-infused olive oil from a bulk barrel. You can also flavor your own olive oil using hot or cold methods.
For spices, you can use almost any that you like. This is a good place for your favorite spice blend. I used Spicely All Purpose Seasoning, which is similar to the Italian blend that I wanted but didn't seem to have. Harissa, dukkah, herbs de Provence, etc. should also work well.
Ham has a good strong flavor that complements the portobello. However, almost any meat will work well in this recipe, so it's a good place to use up leftovers. If you choose a cured meat such as ham or bacon, use little or no salt in dressing the mushrooms; however, remember that mushrooms aren't nearly as good with no salt at all.
To make this a vegetarian recipe, replace the meat with a plant protein such as beans or crispy-fried tofu. Spiced lentils leap readily to mind, so consider this as a leftover-makeover for your favorite dal.
Any good melty cheese should work in this recipe. I used shredded cheddar. Swiss, gouda, mozerella, provelle, etc. should also work. To make a truly gourmet version, use Comté.
To make this a dairy-free recipe, there are several promising options. First, you can top the mushrooms with a plant-based cheese substitute. Because these usually don't melt well, it's better to mince or crumble them and put them on after the mushroom caps come out of the oven. However, there are some nice vegan "cream cheese" products, so consider stuffing the caps with that and putting a contrast ingredient on top. Second, you can top them with chopped vegetables such as tomato or bell pepper, which will roast and char very nicely if you raise the grill toward the top of your oven. Other after-cooking toppers include minced herbs such as cilantro or chopped nuts such as hazelnuts.
