portobello Archives - Alida's Kitchen

August 25, 2011 ·

As Mike was sprinkling cheese on his Portobello and Zucchini Tacos, he could see it in my eyes and knew what I was about to do. I couldn’t help myself – I had to do it! I stole his dinner so I could plate it for pictures. Who knew he was such a food stylist! In all fairness, as I ran away with his dinner, I told him to take mine. Off I went to snap away and he got to enjoy a warm dinner.

So is the life as a husband of a food blogger. He sometimes gets cold dinner. He sometimes loses his dinner to pictures. But there are some perks, with the most obvious being…actually getting to have dinner (or lunch, or muffins, you get the idea). Mike is definitely a good sport…even if sometimes he has to give up his tacos for the craft.

Now about the tacos. These tacos are fun, tasty and super easy! First you prepare your veggies, toss them in olive oil and seasoning, then throw it all in the oven to roast. In the meantime, heat up the tortillas and get the toppings ready. Serve. See? Simple, easy and so good!

Portobello and Zucchini Tacos

Yields: 4 servings (3 tacos per serving)

Ingredients

5 medium portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced ½ inch thick
3 teaspoons dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 medium zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese with roasted red peppers*, shredded, for serving
½ cup fresh salsa, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a 13 x 9 baking dish (or rimmed baking sheet) toss mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil, 1½ teaspoons oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a separate 13 x 9 baking dish (or rimmed baking sheet) toss zucchini and red onion with remaining oil, oregano and garlic; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place both dishes in oven. Roast, tossing approximately every 10 minutes) until vegetables are browned and fork-tender (about 30 minutes).
Meanwhile, stack tortillas and wrap in damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds.
To serve, fill each tortilla with mushrooms, vegetable mixture, cheese and salsa.

Notes

You can substitute plain Monterey Jack cheese if you are unable to find Monterey Jack cheese with roasted red peppers.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Balsamic Portobello Mushroom Burgers

June 27, 2011 ·

I am always looking for tasty vegetarian options for the grill, and these Balsamic Portobello Mushroom Burgers are a definite winner. The thirsty mushrooms soak up the balsamic vinegar and garlic, yielding an amazing flavor. Paired with the goat cheese, it is a combination that pleases both non-meat and meat eaters alike.

These burgers are very quick to make. Just mix the marinade in the baking dish and let the mushrooms and peppers soak. You can even get your preparation out of the way the day before, intensifying the flavor by letting everything marinate overnight.

On each burger is a slice of red pepper topped with a portobello mushroom, topped with goat cheese, topped with another portobello. Then sprinkle on a little more goat cheese, top with spinach, close the sandwich and eat!

Balsamic Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Yields 4 servings

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grates

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

4 garlic cloves, minced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), cut into 4 equal pieces

8 portobello mushrooms (about 1 pound total), stems and ribs removed

4 onion hamburger buns

4 ounces goat cheese (crumbled or log; if using a log, cut into slices to place in between the mushrooms)
several spinach leaves

In a shallow dish (a 13 x 9 baking dish works well), whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add bell pepper and mushrooms, turning to make sure everything gets coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to overnight.
Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Grill bell pepper, skin side down, until blackened, about 10 minutes; remove from grill and place in Ziploc bag. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin; set bell pepper aside.
Starting with dome-side down, grill mushrooms, covered, until lightly charred. Flip and grill the other side of mushroom until lightly charred and mushroom is tender. (approx. 3 to 4 minutes per side).
Dividing evenly, top bottom half of each bun with bell pepper and mushrooms. Put goat cheese in the middle of the 2 mushroom caps. Top with spinach and sprinkle with remaining goat cheese. Close burger, and serve immediately.

Alternative: This recipe would also make an excellent salad (great for someone who is watching carbs or if you just want more veggies). To make this into a salad, follow the directions above through step 3. Then slice the mushrooms and peppers, toss with a bowl of spinach or mixed greens and top with goat cheese.

Adapted from Everyday Food