Stuffed Mushrooms: An Easy Recipe

This recipe is delightfully easy and simply delicious. Allow one mushroom per portion for a starter or side dish; two for a main.

Ingredients:

• 4 portobello mushrooms
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 200 grams of smoked bacon lardons
• 200 grams of good quality mozzarella cheese
• 100 grams of grated parmesan cheese
• a good handful of fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 small red chili thinly sliced into circle shapes
• 150 ml olive oil
• 1 lb of fresh, ripe tomatoes de-skinned and roughly chopped; remove the green stalk as this can sometimes be bitter
• 5 crushed garlic cloves
• salt and cracked black pepper to season

Method:

• gently wipe the mushrooms inside and outside; a mushroom brush is handy
• place the mushrooms cap side down in a baking dish; drizzle over a little of the olive oil and bake in a moderate oven for 6 to 8 minutes
• while the mushrooms are in the oven dry fry the bacon lardons over a low heat allowing the fat to slowly melt; this results in crispy lardons and plenty of fat for the onions to soak up
• once the lardons begin to colour add the onions and two crushed garlic cloves, stir to coat the onions in the lardon juices
• cook till the lardons are nice and crisp and the onions translucent (3 to 5 mins)
• remove the mushrooms from the oven and remove from the baking dish
• add the chopped tomatoes, the remaining garlic, a few thyme sprigs, slices of chili (keeping back a few to garnish) to the baking dish, drizzle over the remaining olive oil, season and bake in the oven (3 to 5 mins); while you arrange your mushrooms
• top each mushroom evenly with the bacon and onion mixture, tear the mozzarella into small pieces and dot over the bacon and onion mix
• add a few thyme sprigs and a little black pepper
• remove the baking dish from the oven, arrange the stuffed mushrooms on top of the tomatoes and replace in the oven, bake for 12 to 15 mins or so until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese in just melting;
• remove the dish and top each stuffed mushroom with a good sprinkle of parmesan cheese, grill on a moderate heat for 2 to 3 mins till the cheese is nicely melted and has a light golden brown colour

To Serve:

• remove the mushrooms from the baking dish, place to one side
• the tomatoes should be well cooked and be a delicious chutney consistency
• serve the stuffed mushrooms with a good spoon of the tomato chutney and garnish with a ring or two of chili
• add an extra sprig of thyme (optional)
• a little mixed salad leaf will give a designer look; perfect

TIP 1

Just in case your new to the world of cooking here's a little tip.

How to skin your tomatoes without getting in a fix.

• using a sharp knife make a small cross indentation in the fleshy bottom of the tomato (the opposite end to the one that has the stalk bit)
• place your tomatoes whole into a pot of almost boiling water for a minute or two; you will see the skin begin to peel away from the tomato
• remove the tomatoes from the water using a slotted spoon
• leave to cool enough so you can handle the tomatoes
• peel the skin back form the cross indentation
• the skin will peel back easily leaving you with a fuss free skinless tomato

Tip 2

Vegetarians can enjoy this dish too; a little imagination with some careful substitution and a winning dish can be enjoyed by all...

• Simply opt for diced red peppers instead of the bacon lardons. Fry the peppers in a little butter or olive oil adding a good pinch of smoked paprika just before you add the onion and garlic.
• Another combination that works too, fry your onions and garlic in a little oil; add a little smoked cheese at the same time as you top the mushroom with mozzarella.
• Lastly tofu also works; dice up into small cubes and slowly fry in a little olive oil or butter; again adding the smoked paprika just before the onions and garlic.

Good cooking; hope you get creative...

Copyright:

© 2011 Gabriel Wilson All Rights Reserved