Pistachio Feta Stuffed Mushrooms

These flavorful portobello mushrooms are a nice part of a vegetarian meal. Since the grill's on, I pair them here with multicolored pasta and grilled summer squash.

Pistachios are flavorful and soft, and they make a great filling for mushrooms. You can also add a more melty cheese like cheddar or swiss - whatever your favorite. I have also used hazelnuts, but you have to be OK with a more crunchy topping texture. Minced golden raisins are also a great addition.

4 large portabella mushrooms, cleaned
1 stick cream cheese, brought to room temperature
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
palmful fresh basil leaves, minced

1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1 clove garlic, peeled

Heat grill to high. Turn mushrooms over to fin side and cut stalk, if any, down to the fins.

Tip the pistachios into a small food processor and grind to a coarse meal - but not a butter. Add the garlic and mince. Turn pistachio mixture into a mixing bowl and add the cream cheese, feta, red pepper and the basil. Mix well.

Lightly oil the mushroom fins and turn them fin-side down onto the grill. Turn grill to medium. Grill for about 8-10 minutes, turning mushrooms once. Place mushrooms on a sheet pan and turn one half of the grill off.

Distribute the cheese mixture on top of all four mushrooms and return the mushrooms to the side of the grill turned off. Cover grill and cook another 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms and topping are heated through.

Serve with veggie side to complete a vegetarian meal. Serves 4.

Comments

Chicken Piccata over Squid Ink Pasta

Serve this delicious lemony piccata over your favorite pasta. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thick cutlets 1/4 cup flour 1 lemon sliced and de-seeded 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp capers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 8 oz squid ink pasta fresh parsley for garnish Melt butter in the oil in a skillet. Fry the lemon slices for a few minutes, just until beginning to brown. Set aside on a plate. Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast. Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown the first side of each in the butter mixture in the skillet. Flip to brown second side. Cook over low heat for a total of about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook until just al dente. Remove chicken to a plate when cooked through. Add capers and garlic to skillet a...

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs. Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have. Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade. Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a wonderful Greek yogurt dip and condiment. It's great with pita bread or veggies, or as a topping on all kinds of grilled foods. Make sure you use a full fat, thick Greek yogurt, and that you squeeze as much water out of the grated cucumber as you can - you don't want a watery Tzatziki; it should be thick and rich. 1/2 English cucumber (about 6-inches), sliced lengthwise in half 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1 cup full fat Greek Yogurt (I used Fage 5%) 2 cloves garlic, grated with microplane or minced through a press 1/2 shallot, very finely diced 1 Tbsp fresh dill weed, minced (or 1/4 tsp dried dill) 1/8 tsp Aleppo red pepper (or fine-ground Korean chili pepper), or to taste 1 tsp red wine vinegar Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to gently scrape out the seeds in the center of each half. Coarsely grate cucumber and toss in a colander with the salt. Allow to sit 10-15 minutes. Squeeze water from cucumber and then tip onto the center of a full-sized paper t...

Cuisine Eric

Search This Blog