{the dish} portobello mushroom stacks

photo by ann west

I love cooking from life experience. I mean when you eat something and love it and try to recreate it ... sometimes it turns into something wonderful. (but believe me I have had my do-overs too) We have all had this combination somewhere, on a pizza, in lasagna, as a pasta sauce. I think I first had this combo way back in the day when I lived in Chicago at a little pizza joint - they had this awesome appetizer that had a dollop of goat cheese on a bed of pesto with diced tomatoes - then they ran it under the broiler and served it with bread - awesome! I have morphed that experience into this vegetarian main dish. The combination of goat cheese, onions and pesto are divine. My kids eat this too. They like mushrooms and caramelizing the onions keeps them mild tasting. Enjoy and as always add, subtract, create... I would love to hear how you make this work for you.

portobello mushroom stacks by ann west

portobello mushrooms

olive oil

goat cheese

red pepper flakes (optional)

tomato slices (drained if possible) - if tomatoes aren't great you can chop some grape tomatoes or use a couple of dollops of tomato paste.

onions - sliced thin

yellow and red pepper - sliced thin

pesto (if you have it) if not fresh basil

provolone cheese slices - or mozzarella

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Caramelize onions and peppers in olive oil. Cook them down until they are very soft and sticky. (if you would like you can sprinkle a tad bit of balsamic vinegar over them to deglaze the pan). Rub olive oil over mushrooms and place on a jelly roll pan (top side down). sprinkle the goat cheese on mushrooms & red pepper flakes if desired. Then top with some of the caramelized onion and peppers. Next comes the tomato. Then smear some of the pesto or lay basil leaves on top of the tomato. Top with a slice of the cheese you selected - fresh ground pepper and you are ready to cook. Cook it in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the mushroom seems soft. Serve.