10.02.2009

{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.

11 comments:

amy and ann said...

yea! this looks soooo good. can not wait to try it.
:) I am loving it all. bring it on!
amy

Kwana said...

Yummy! Thanks.

sue whiteside said...

This looks wonderful. Thanks Ann!

We Blog Artists said...

Oh...Mushrooms...cheese and onions...I could eat this weekly, but you had me stuck on the goats cheese...I'm learning to like it, but it's taking my taste buds a LONG time to aquire that "Mmmm, this tastes GREAT" thing...and it's really hard because most restaurants and friends are really hot on it. What do you think could substitute the goat?
Char

Char said...

yum but since I'm not a big onion person I could still love this without the onions. :)

frenchie said...

my mouth is literally watering now...
great shot as usual, Ann!
have a fantastic weekend, darling!xxx

Lizzy said...

oh that sounds sooo good!

christina said...

this sounds like heaven!
: )

Line said...

looks so delicious!!!great shot!!!

pve design said...

I love mushrooms and this sounds like something my kids would love and eat til it's all gone, begging for more.
pve

acommonthread said...

yum! bookmarking this one. can't wait to try.