Delicious Portabellos!

Clodfobble · 11-06-2006, 10:14 PM

A bit of backstory: since having the baby, I've officially taken over cooking duties in the household. It just made sense; I'm home during the day to thaw/prepare ingredients, I'm already the one doing the grocery shopping, it's a pain to drag a baby to a restaurant, we don't need to be eating out if I'm not getting a full-time paycheck, etc. etc. None of these arguments, however, took into account the fact that I was a terrible cook, due to an utter lack of enthusiasm about food in general. I honestly think that I have under-sensitive tastebuds. I've never much cared what I ate, just put it in front of me and let's get on to something more interesting. I am one of those people who frequently forgets to eat.

Anyway, over the course of a few months I was finally able to settle into a routine that works for me, including a (laughably complex) system to organize my recipes and determine what I'm making on a given day. And sometime in the last few weeks, I actually crossed the line into enjoying the process ever-so-slightly. All of which leads me to the fact that I made a really good meal last night.

Disclaimer: the recipe was taken from an episode of "Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals" on the Food Network. This does not change the fact that I successfully made it. If I can do it, anyone can!

1 lb. baby portabello mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 large, firm tomatoes

Cut the tops off the tomatoes and core them with a spoon so you are left with two tomato "bowls." Season the insides with salt/pepper if desired. Sautee mushrooms in a little olive oil until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Mix balsamic vinegar and mustard, pour over mushrooms and toss to coat. Spoon mushrooms into tomatoes and serve warm.

Only four ingredients, and so tasty! Obviously it's not enough for a whole meal, but I paired it with a couple of steaks; just stuck 'em in the broiler for 20 minutes and they were ready.

skysidhe · 11-09-2006, 09:10 AM

Portabellos are yummy anyway and I just love to watch Racheal Ray too!!

Grilled Portabellos
1 portabello per person
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Brush mushrooms with cooking oil and place mushrooms on medium grill on upper rack, smooth side up, about 10 minutes before the steak is ready. Slice and serve.

bluecuracao · 11-09-2006, 10:02 AM

Rachael Ray annoys the hell out of me. Sorry, I just had to put that out there.

However...I did have a great sandwich at a local pub not too long ago--chopped portabellos sauteed with pesto, and grilled on a ciabatta roll with sharp provolone. I think it was meant to be sort of a vegetarian "cheesesteak." It didn't taste anything like a cheesesteak, but it was delicious in its own right and probably easy to make, if you buy the pesto that comes in a tube.

barefoot serpent · 11-09-2006, 04:19 PM

Clod: I think your recipe just needs a bit of grated parmesan and perhaps some sprigs of parsley for garnish.

Clodfobble · 11-25-2006, 09:45 PM

Another portabello recipe tonight! This time from one of Rachel Ray's cookbooks, a birthday gift.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
4 portabello caps

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3 Tbs pesto

1 med yellow onion, in thin slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping Tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock

Combine the first three ingredients and brush over mushrooms. Cook gill-side-up in the oven at 450 degrees for 12 minutes. Meanwhile begin sauteeing onion with garlic and tomato paste. Mix pesto and ricotta, then spoon on top of mushrooms and return them to the oven for a minute or two to warm the cheese mixture. When the onions are thoroughly carmelized, add the chicken stock and allow it to boil away almost entirely. Spoon resulting onion sauce on top of ricotta and serve.

Not as good as the baby portabello salad, but very tasty. Much more filling than we imagined--I made the full recipe, thinking we'd each have two mushroom caps, but in the end we could both barely finish one each. I'm thinking they should be good as leftovers though, as long as we eat them within a day or two.

11-06-2006, 10:14 PM	#1
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Delicious Portabellos! A bit of backstory: since having the baby, I've officially taken over cooking duties in the household. It just made sense; I'm home during the day to thaw/prepare ingredients, I'm already the one doing the grocery shopping, it's a pain to drag a baby to a restaurant, we don't need to be eating out if I'm not getting a full-time paycheck, etc. etc. None of these arguments, however, took into account the fact that I was a terrible cook, due to an utter lack of enthusiasm about food in general. I honestly think that I have under-sensitive tastebuds. I've never much cared what I ate, just put it in front of me and let's get on to something more interesting. I am one of those people who frequently forgets to eat. Anyway, over the course of a few months I was finally able to settle into a routine that works for me, including a (laughably complex) system to organize my recipes and determine what I'm making on a given day. And sometime in the last few weeks, I actually crossed the line into enjoying the process ever-so-slightly. All of which leads me to the fact that I made a really good meal last night. Disclaimer: the recipe was taken from an episode of "Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals" on the Food Network. This does not change the fact that I successfully made it. If I can do it, anyone can! 1 lb. baby portabello mushrooms, coarsely chopped 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 2 large, firm tomatoes Cut the tops off the tomatoes and core them with a spoon so you are left with two tomato "bowls." Season the insides with salt/pepper if desired. Sautee mushrooms in a little olive oil until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Mix balsamic vinegar and mustard, pour over mushrooms and toss to coat. Spoon mushrooms into tomatoes and serve warm. Only four ingredients, and so tasty! Obviously it's not enough for a whole meal, but I paired it with a couple of steaks; just stuck 'em in the broiler for 20 minutes and they were ready.

11-09-2006, 09:10 AM	#2
skysidhe ~~Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.~~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,828	Portabellos are yummy anyway and I just love to watch Racheal Ray too!! Grilled Portabellos 1 portabello per person 2 tablespoons cooking oil Salt and fresh ground pepper Brush mushrooms with cooking oil and place mushrooms on medium grill on upper rack, smooth side up, about 10 minutes before the steak is ready. Slice and serve. Last edited by skysidhe; 11-09-2006 at 09:14 AM.

11-09-2006, 04:19 PM	#4
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	Clod: I think your recipe just needs a bit of grated parmesan and perhaps some sprigs of parsley for garnish. __________________ Chooses rowing vs. wading

11-09-2006, 10:02 AM	#3
bluecuracao in a mood, not cupcake Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 3,034	Rachael Ray annoys the hell out of me. Sorry, I just had to put that out there. However...I did have a great sandwich at a local pub not too long ago--chopped portabellos sauteed with pesto, and grilled on a ciabatta roll with sharp provolone. I think it was meant to be sort of a vegetarian "cheesesteak." It didn't taste anything like a cheesesteak, but it was delicious in its own right and probably easy to make, if you buy the pesto that comes in a tube.

11-25-2006, 09:45 PM	#5
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Another portabello recipe tonight! This time from one of Rachel Ray's cookbooks, a birthday gift. 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 3 Tbs olive oil salt/pepper to taste 4 portabello caps 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese 3 Tbs pesto 1 med yellow onion, in thin slices 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 heaping Tbs tomato paste 1/2 cup chicken stock Combine the first three ingredients and brush over mushrooms. Cook gill-side-up in the oven at 450 degrees for 12 minutes. Meanwhile begin sauteeing onion with garlic and tomato paste. Mix pesto and ricotta, then spoon on top of mushrooms and return them to the oven for a minute or two to warm the cheese mixture. When the onions are thoroughly carmelized, add the chicken stock and allow it to boil away almost entirely. Spoon resulting onion sauce on top of ricotta and serve. Not as good as the baby portabello salad, but very tasty. Much more filling than we imagined--I made the full recipe, thinking we'd each have two mushroom caps, but in the end we could both barely finish one each. I'm thinking they should be good as leftovers though, as long as we eat them within a day or two.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)