Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and Peppers

I am back on track with planning our meals. Portobello Mushrooms are an excellent ingredient for "stuffing". Whether you use Pork, Beef, Lamb, Chicken or even vegetables. It's just one of those ingredients that soaks up flavours and sets off a dish. A few weeks ago, I also posted about having a "Pasta Making Party", this post also serves a purpose to help update that too.

I am making more then the Pork Stuffed Portobello in this post. I am also making Stuffed Peppers at the the same time. In previous posts, I have discussed how difficult it can be to create a variety of meals for just one or two people, affordably.

Since I am using Peppers as a portion of the ingredients for the Stuffed Portobello, I'll use the rest of the ground pork stuffing I am making to fill some of the Peppers, which, I cut to make the stuffing. Stuffed Peppers freeze pretty well, unlike Portobello Mushrooms, and by doing this, I have a few meals I needn't worry about in future. At the end of this post, I'll discuss how to turn this idea into a "party" for you and a few like-minded guests too. Pasta Making Party.

One more thing, before I start the ingredient list and instructions, portion sizing; Portobellos and Peppers can be HUGE, I am using Portobello Mushrooms which easily fit in my hand. I am cutting the Peppers I use for stuffing to the same size. I like to eat, but if I were to stuff half of the Red Pepper I have, it would be too much for one meal, and if I were to have chosen a larger Mushroom, I would have the same dilemma, to large as a single portion.

When making meals like this, a good rule of thumb is not to exceed the size of your fist for a single portion of a stuffed Vegetable. if you don't have small Portobellos available, a large Portobello can be divvied up between two people, the day it's made. Stuffed Portobellos, do NOT make a good leftover, nor do they freeze well, just so you know.

 Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms and Peppers

This recipe yielded 2 Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms and 6 Stuffed Peppers.

Original Mixture
450 grams or 1 lb. Lean Ground Pork
2 Mid Sized Portobello Mushrooms
1 Green Pepper,
1 Red Pepper,
1 Yellow Pepper (only 1/4 of this pepper was used, and diced up)
1/4 Fennel, Diced
2 Slices of Onion, Diced
2 Stems from the Portobello and the gills.*
1 Cup Rice, either Pre-cooked or Minute Rice. (I used both 50/50 as I had rice to use up.)
2 TSPS Pork Rub  Spice Blend - Recipe here
2 TSPS Soy Sauce
1/2 Water or Vegetable Stock
Salt and Pepper to taste.
We add Salt and Pepper, but watch our salt intake. 




Variation on the Stuffed Peppers

I've mentioned previously, I like variety, so I am making a few subtle changes to the Stuffed Pepper filling. Just because you cook something in bulk, does not mean you have to have the same flavours each time. You can pump up some flavours by adding a few extra ingredients to a mix you already made. This is also why this style of cooking works so well if you are cooking as a group. More on that below.


Also, you can make the mixture without spicing, split it into different bowls, and change the flavours completely by adding a variation of Spices and Vegetables to each bowl. Or make completely different mixtures, as I have done that in this Post:

  Bell Peppers, Ideas to Use Them as a Meal.

If you get creative, you can really add variety to your menu planning by adjusting ingredients.



Stuffed Peppers, Additional Ingredients:
Sun-dried Tomato, Diced
1 1/2 TBSPs Barbecue Sauce from Same Spice Blend above
4 Sprigs Cilantro, Diced
1 TSP Basil
1 TSP Oregano
1/4 Cup Water or Vegetable Stock




Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F

Remove Stems and a portion of the Gills from the Mushrooms. Leave the Mushroom Tops aside until ready to fill.

* Cut away the lower "woody " portion of the stem, discard, and finely dice the gills and remaining stems



Being Creative and Flexible - Pepper Portions:

I have pictures of the Proportions I'm discussing in this post. Please see above.

My Green Pepper was half the size of the Red Pepper, you can't always have equal proportions when picking produce. In this case. I cut the Green Pepper in half, and sliced away the stem and pith.

From the halved portions, I sliced away 1/2 an inch from each side and left the small pieces aside for Dicing.

Red Pepper, sliced in half, then quartered, I removed approximately 1/2 an inch from three of the Pepper "Cups" and left aside for dicing.

The Yellow Pepper, I quartered, and only used two 1/2" slices for dicing. I didn't need anymore peppers for filling, so saved the larger pieces for tonights meal.



Dice the Peppers, Fennel and Onion

Mix the ingredients from "Original Mixture" in a bowl, add your spices and mix again.

To fill the Portobello Mushrooms, form a "patty" in your hand, and press into the mushroom top.

Add the Mushrooms, meat side up,  to a baking dish with a lid.

Sprinkle with Soy and water - add Salt and Pepper to taste.

Cook Covered for 40 to 45 minutes.

I added a little cheese to the tops with some Pepper and Basil when finished.

That was last nights meal with a Spinach Salad.

The Peppers, add the new Ingredients to your remaining mixture, Stir thoroughly.

Instead of patties, form small balls and fill the peppers. Press the ingredients in firmly.

Same cooking instructions,

350 F  35 to 40 Minutes

Let cool, and place in containers for freezing.

The day you reheat these, you can add Tomato Sauce, Barbecue Sauce, or many other variations of ingredients.



The Peppers are now available to me when I decide to use them. I also have tendency to give them to friends or neighbours who trade with me.

From a cost standpoint, this is a great way to cook, I have made 8 individual meals for under $ 2.00 ea. Nothing fried, plenty of vegetables and a very tasty choice for Dinner.

Now, having a "Food Party" with this type of idea. If the hostess calculates $ 16 per portion, per guest or couple, then you plan a party where everyone pays $ 16.00 toward their ingredients.

You calculate what you need to buy based on the recipes above and the people coming over. Plan your day, an evening where everyone gets involved in making the mixture, stuffing the Meal of Portobello Mushrooms for the night, they make their own Stuffed Peppers, and you all dine on Portobello Mushrooms while the Peppers cook.

The guests have ready made meals to take home at the end of the party. It's a pretty smart way to do things, and any money left over after the ingredients are purchased, you can put toward wine.

 I do like my wine.


So, that thought process and idea is down. Stuffed Peppers and Mushrooms are pretty easy and cost effective, just watch your prices when you shop. The Pork and Rice were pretty inexpensive, as were the Peppers,  Portobellos, not always...It just depends on their availability.

Tonight, I have Ground Beef to ponder. Not sure what I'm making yet, but that's fine, at least I'm back on track.

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