M is for Mushrooms - A to Z Challenge 2015

Mushrooms are not a very unusual food, but I came across the recipe below which made up my mind for me. There are so many mushrooms available to us these days. My favourite is probably Portobello because it reminds me of the field mushrooms my mother and I used to go and pick when I was a kid. We’d go to a cow field around 5 a.m. I think, certainly whilst it was still dark, to pick them. Being dark you had to be careful what you were trying to pick and sometimes despite having grown over night, they could already be full of maggots, but when you got them home and cooked them, the flavour was out of this world. In this part of Canada we can also get puff balls which I have only tried once, (a friend brought one in from their fields). It was delicious but very large although not as large as the one in this picture. There is also the Shaggy Mane which has to be picked whilst young as they become more toxic as they get older. There are toxic look-a-likes I believe. I have never had the courage to pick mushrooms in the wild in Canada in case I made a mistake. I would have like to go with an expert.

Tomato and Olive-Stuffed Portobello Caps

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

Portobello caps make excellent mini casseroles. Here, they hold a tomato, cheese and olive stuffing that grills up to a smoky perfection. Serve them with whole-wheat couscous and a mixed green salad for an easy meal.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chopped plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 portobello mushroom caps
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 
  

Instructions

Step 1

Combine tomatoes, cheese, olives, garlic, 1 teaspoon oil, rosemary and pepper in a small bowl.

Step 2

Preheat grill to medium.

Step 3

Discard mushroom stems. Remove brown gills from the undersides of the caps using a spoon; discard gills. Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, lemon juice and soy sauce in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over both sides of the caps.

Step 4

Oil a grill rack (see Tip). Place the caps on the rack, stem sides down, cover and grill until soft, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and fill with the tomato mixture. Return to the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes more.

Tips

To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Have a great day