Newbie Gourmet

So, a while back I was on this low-calorie diet. You'd think that it would be horrible and bland, right? Well, I found this very nice recipe in the Picture Perfect Recipe Book some years ago, and have continued to use it, diet or no. I'm not sure if I've made changes to it, because I've lent the book out. It is not only delicious, but simple to make. It also makes for an elegant side dish.

Stuffed Portabellos

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Gigantic Portabellos
  
• 1/4 c. Italian Dressing
  
• 1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
  
• 6 Large Sun-Dried Tomatoes Halves in Oil, Minced
  
• 2 TBS Minced Garlic
  
• 1/8 c. Minced Shallot
  
• 1/2 c. Italian Bread Crumbs
  
• 3 Minced Fresh Basil Leaves
  
• 2 TBS Fresh Thyme
  
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
  
• Cooking Spray
  

Preparation:

1.) Remove the stems from your portabellos, mince the stems, and put them aside. I save the stems for omelettes and salads. You can also buy portabellos without stems, in which case, skip to the next step.*

2.) In a big zip-lock freezer bag, combine the dressing and vinegar, then add the mushroom caps. Let them marinate for an hour--any more than that and the vinegar taste will be too strong. Flip the mushroom bag over halfway through the marinating so that both sides of the mushroom caps will get the marinade on them.

3.) Take the mushrooms out of the bag, but don't throw away the marinade. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray, and put the mushrooms on the sheet, stem-side up. Broil for five minutes (they should start turning brown just before you take them out).

4.) In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, basil, thyme, and salt and pepper. Now, the tricky part. Remember the marinade in the bag? Add a couple of spoonfuls to the bowl, and mix it up. The consistency you're going for with the mix is moist, but not wet. You'll have to slowly add marinade until you get this consistency. For me, it's usually three or four tablespoons, but it can be more or less depending on the bread crumbs, tomatoes, and garlic you use.

5.) Stuff the mushrooms with the mix. Broil them for another five to ten minutes, until the filling is hot. Keep a close eye on them because they burn easily.

6.) Serve piping hot as a main dish (great alternative to meat) or a delicious (and filling) side dish. You can decorate the dish by placing fresh thyme sprigs on top.


*Note: The gills of the mushrooms will absorb a lot of the marinade, so if you don't like the vinegar taste, you can certainly remove the gills of the mushrooms with a spoon before going to step two.