Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Polenta and Wilted Spinach
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Mushrooms:
- 2 plant-based burgers
- 2 portobello mushrooms, stems diced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1½ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 star anise
- pinch black pepper
- pinch salt
- olive oil
For the Red Sauce:
- 1 white onion, half diced, half quartered
- 2 - 400g cans of San Marzano tomatoes (or whole peeled plum tomatoes)
- 10 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 glass red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
- olive oil
For the Polenta:
- ½ cup corn meal, medium grind
- 1½ cups water (350 ml)
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tbsp plant-based butter
- 4 slices plant-based cheese, diced
- plant-based milk (as needed, to thin polenta, about 3-5 tbsp)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
For the Wilted Spinach:
- 200g baby spinach
- pinch black pepper
- pinch salt
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients (Mise en Place):
- Prepare all ingredients as listed.
- Preheat oven to 420°F (215°C).
Prepare the Seasoning Blend:
- Crush red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, 1 tsp oregano, and star anise in a pestle and mortar until ground.
Season the Plant-Based Burgers:
- Using hands, combine burgers in a bowl with the ground spice blend and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Work through until thoroughly mixed.
Stuff the Portobello Mushrooms:
- Take mushroom caps and place face up on a board.
- Fill with seasoned burger mixture and pack down.
Sear the Stuffed Mushrooms:
- Heat a cast iron pan on medium-high heat and add a little olive oil when hot.
- Place mushroom face down on the cast iron pan.
- Use a spatula to move the mushroom around the pan to avoid sticking.
- Flip when slightly browned and set aside in a casserole dish.
- Add the other mushroom to the pan face down and repeat the process.
- Sear quartered onions in pan after removing mushrooms. Add a little oil, salt, and pepper.
Prepare the Red Sauce:
- Heat a pot on medium-high heat, add 4 tbsp olive oil, ½ diced onion, and 6 sliced garlic cloves, followed by the diced mushroom stems and capers.
- Stir.
- Add tins of tomatoes to pot, crushing the whole tomatoes with your hand.
- Stir.
- Add bay leaf (remember to remove before serving).
- Add 1 tsp salt and black pepper.
- Cook down for 5 minutes.
Combine Sauce and Mushrooms:
- Once onions are cooked, add into casserole dish around mushroom and turn off the heat under the cast-iron pan.
- Add one scoop of sauce to pan, swirl and pour over mushrooms.
- Stir through sauce for a few more minutes and pour over portobellos and onion in the casserole dish.
- Use spoon to even out.
Bake the Stuffed Mushrooms:
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Prepare the Polenta:
- Heat pot on medium-high heat, pour in 350 ml (1½ cups) water.
- Add 4 sliced garlic cloves to water, with butter.
- Bring to a boil and whisk.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp oregano.
- Add in polenta slowly, keep whisking, as it will start to thicken straight away.
- Lower heat to a medium-low once combined and bubbling.
- Add cheese, a little milk, and keep stirring.
- Turn heat off and cover.
Continue Baking Mushrooms:
- Check mushrooms after the initial 20 minutes and cook for a further 15 minutes to reduce.
Cool and Slice Mushrooms:
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the mushroom to a cutting board and slice.
Sear the Spinach:
- Sear baby spinach in cast-iron pan on medium-high heat, add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Turn off heat once wilted.
Reheat Polenta:
- Heat polenta again and whisk through, ready to serve.
Plate Up:
- Add a large scoop of polenta to the center of plate.
- Add spinach to the side.
- Place slices of mushroom on top.
- Top with sauce.
- Top with fresh parsley, if you have it!
Video Description
This recipe uses portobello mushrooms, which are typically easy to find at your local grocery store or farmer's market. For this family-sized vegan recipe we pack the portobello caps with seasoned plant-based meat, sear them on the stove, smother the whole thing in a delicious, rich tomato sauce, then bake it in the oven casserole-style. We suggest serving it up with a generous side of creamy polenta and wilted spinach (served over a bed of your favorite pasta would also be delicious). This is next-level comfort food that is very easy to do and will make enough for a family style meal or several days of meal-prep! You got this!
Full recipe below!
Nana's Red Sauce 👵🏼 ▶︎ https://youtu.be/AVptBvjbtck
Chad's Homemade Fresh (Vegan!) Pasta recipe ▶︎ https://youtu.be/G3Rw2cjoYnw
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STUFFED PORTOBELLOS w/ POLENTA & SPINACH
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS:
2 plant-based burgers
2 portobello mushrooms, stems diced
1 white onion, half diced, half quartered
2 - 400g cans of San Marzano tomatoes (or whole peeled plum tomatoes)
½ cup corn meal, medium grind
10 cloves garlic, sliced
1 glass red wine
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds
1½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp plant-based butter
4 slices plant-based cheese, diced
plant-based milk (as needed, to thin polenta, about 3-5 tbsp)
1½ cups water
200g baby spinach
pinch black pepper
pinch salt
olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare mise en place, preparing all ingredients as above and preheat oven to 420f/215 C
Crush red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, 1 tsp oregano and star anise in a pestle mortar, until ground.
Using hands, combine burgers in a bowl with ground spice blend and a pinch of salt and pepper. Work through until thoroughly mixed.
Take mushroom cups and place face up on a board, fill with seasoned burger mixture and pack down.
Heat a cast iron pan on a medium-high heat and add a little olive oil when hot. Place mushroom face down on the cast iron pan.
Heat a pot on a medium-high heat, add 4 tbsp olive oil, ½ diced onion and 6 sliced garlic cloves, followed by the diced mushroom stems and capers. Stir.
Use a spatula to move the mushroom around the pan, to avoid sticking. Flip when slightly browned and set aside in a casserole dish. Add other mushroom to the pan face down and repeat the process. Sear quartered onions to pan to when mushrooms have been removed. Add a little oil, salt and pepper.
Add tins of tomatoes to pot, crushing the whole tomatoes with your hand. Stir. Add bay leaf (remember to remove before serving). Add 1 tsp salt and black pepper. Cook down for 5 minutes.
Once onions are cooked, add into casserole dish around mushroom and turn off the heat under the cast-iron pan. Add one scoop of sauce to pan, swirl and pour over mushrooms. Stir through sauce for a few more minutes and pour over portobellos and onion in the casserole dish. Use spoon to even out.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Heat pot on medium high heat, pour in 350 ml (1½ cups). Add 4 sliced garlic cloves to water, with butter. Bring to a boil and whisk, add a pinch of salt and pepper ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp oregano. Add in polenta slowly, keep whisking, as it will start to thicken straight away. Lower heat to a medium-low once combined and bubbling. Add cheese, a little milk and keep stirring Turn heat off and cover.
Check mushrooms after 20 minutes and cook for a further 15 minutes to reduce, remove and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Transfer mushroom to cutting board and slice.
Sear baby spinach in cast-iron pan on a medium high heat, add pinch of salt and pepper. Turn off heat once wilted.
Heat polenta again and whisk through, ready to serve.
Plate up! Add a large scoop of polenta to the centre of plate, spinach to the side and slices of mushroom on top, top with sauce. Top with fresh parsley, if you have it!
#veganchef #stuffedmushrooms