Roasted Portobello Pepper Caps With Goat Cheese Food

FRESH HERB AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED GRILLED PORTOBELLOS

Steps:

• Clean the dark black gills from the mushrooms, then drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place over medium heat on an open barbecue grill, face down. After a few minutes, turn them over and continue to cook.
• In a mixing bowl combine the goat cheese with minced garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and the mixture of fresh herbs torn by hand.
• Mix the cheese until all of the ingredients have been incorporated and a nice creamy texture is achieved.
• When the mushrooms begin to get soft and give off a little of their juice, add a nice spoonful of the goat cheese mixture right into the center of each portobello.
• Close the lid of the barbecue and let cook until the cheese gets bubbly and the mushrooms are nice and soft.

BAKED PORTOBELLO CAPS WITH MELTED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375*F.
• Spread the sauce in the bottom of a 9"x9" baking dish.
• Arrange the mushroom caps, gill side up, on top.
• Place a piece of goat cheese on each mushroom.
• Sprinkle evenly with the pine nuts.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
• Top with the chopped basil.
• Garnish with the basil sprig, if using.
• Makes 4 servings.
• Enjoy!

STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH CRISPY GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Roast the Portobello Mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the center position. Lightly spray or brush a standard sheet pan with olive oil. Distribute the portobello mushrooms, stem side up, on the baking sheet and brush or spray lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 25 minutes (*this time will vary depending on the size of your mushrooms, check after 10 minutes or so to be sure), or until tender. If any moisture collects in the mushroom caps, carefully drain and discard. Set mushrooms aside on a large plate as you prepare the filling and crispy panko breadcrumb topping.
• Prepare the Sautéed Spinach: Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until soft and translucent. Add the baby spinach, increase the heat to medium-high. Sauté until just wilted, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Prepare the Crispy Breadcrumb Topping: Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Once the butter is just beginning to sizzle, add the chopped shallots and a pinch of salt and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the panko breadcrumbs and minced garlic, and toast for three to four minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the breadcrumbs from burning, or until the breadcrumbs are very light golden in color. Transfer to a shallow bow and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Assembly: Reduce the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Line the same sheet pan with parchment paper (*note: if you have a baking rack that can be set within a baking sheet, I prefer to place the mushrooms on this, as it helps prevent the mushrooms from sitting in any juice that releases during cooking).
• Distribute the roasted mushrooms, stem side up, on the sheet pan, in the center of the sheet pan so that they are just touching each other. Fill each mushroom with a large spoonful of marinara sauce. Distribute the sautéed spinach evenly among the mushrooms, spooning it on top of the sauce.
• Slice the goat cheese into ½-inch thick slices (roughly half an ounce). It may crumble a bit, but do your best to keep it in a roughly round slice. Carefully press the goat cheese slices, on both sides, in the panko breadcrumb topping and place on top of each mushroom. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the remaining breadcrumb mixture.
• Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown and goat cheese is just beginning to soften. Be careful to ensure that the breadcrumbs do not burn. Serve immediately.

ROASTED MARINATED PEPPERS WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Arrange peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until blackened and soft, 25-30 minutes, turning once or twice.
• Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand 10 minutes (this helps steam the peppers in their skins, and makes skin removal easier).
• Meanwhile, make the marinade: combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, leaves from about half the thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• While peppers are still hot, slip off the skin and scrape out seeds; remove stems.
• Cut each pepper into quarters.
• Add roasted peppers to the marinade and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
• To serve, arrange peppers on 4 plates, garnish with olives, oranges and remaining thyme, and crumble goat cheese over and season with additional freshly ground pepper.
• Note: instead of all red wine vinegar, you can use 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon balsamic, for even deeper and sweeter flavor. Chopped basil is also a delicious garnish.

GRILLED PORTOBELLO, BELL PEPPER, AND GOAT CHEESE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
• Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and portobello mushrooms; toss gently to coat. Remove vegetables from vinegar mixture, and discard vinegar mixture.
• Place bell peppers and mushrooms on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut bell peppers into thin strips. Combine bell peppers, basil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
• Cut rolls in half horizontally; spread cheese evenly over cut sides of rolls. Arrange 1 mushroom cap on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with about 1/3 cup bell pepper mixture and top half of roll.
• Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to upper middle portion, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400°F Using sharp knife, cut 1/4 inch slits, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern on surface(non-grill side) of 8 mushrooms. Dice remaining 2 mushroom caps and reserved stems into 1/2 inch pieces; set aside (you should have about 3 cups).
• Brush both sides of caps with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoons salt. Carefully place caps, grill-side up, on preheated baking sheet. Roast until mushrooms have released some of their juices and begin to brown edges, 8-12 minutes. Flip caps over and continue to roast until liquid has completely evaporated and caps are golden brown, 8-12 minutes longer. Remove mushrooms from oven and heat broiler,.
• Meanwhile, place spinach and water in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with large dinner plate (plate should completely cover bowl and not rest on spinach). Microwave on high until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, 3-4 minutes. Using potholders, remove bowl from microwave and keep covered 1 minute. Carefully remove plate and transfer spinach to colander set in sink. Using back of rubber spatula, gently press spinach against colander to release excess liquid. Transfer spinach to cutting board and roughly chop. Return spinach to colander and press again. Set aside.
• Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about 16 one-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Heat 1 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoons butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until butter is melted. Add bread crumbs and 1/4 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Transfer crumbs to small bowl and wipe out skillet with paper towel.
• Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, Add remaining tablespoons oil and heat until smoking. Add chopped mushrooms and cook without stirring for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4-6 minutes longer. Transfer to medium bowl.
• Add remaining tablespoons butter and onions to skillet; cook stirring occasionally, until onions are light brown, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in sherry and cook until almost no liquid remains, 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in reserved mushrooms, spinach, thyme, goat cheese, cream and walnuts. Continue cooking until cheese is melted and vegetables are well coated, 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan, stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Flip caps, grill side up and distribute filling evenly among mushroom caps; top each with 2 Tbsp bread crumb mixture. Broil mushrooms until crumbs are golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.
• NOTE: For some reason, I cannot get the recipe to show the mushrooms as Portobellos - only portabella!