Portobello | I Can Cook That

Eggplant & Portobello Pasta #BeerLoversHH

I love cooking with beer, I’ve used it a lot in past recipes — everything from Beer-Steamed Clams and Mussels to Pumpkin Spice Bread. So this new cookbook is right up my alley! The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour includes bar snacks, beer cocktails, and recipes that incorporate beer into the dish as well as almost 1,000 beer pairing suggestions for the recipes.

I was sent one of the recipes in the cookbook to test and share with you: Eggplant & Portobello Pasta. I used local witbier in the recipe but you can also use a slightly toasty Vienna Lager, mellow Golden Ale, or classic American Wheat Ale.

I also have a fun contest to share! In celebration of the release of John Schlimm’s new book, The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour, you can win a copy of the cookbook for your very own!

For a chance to win, try the recipe of the week (this Eggplant & Portobello Pasta I’m posting below) and take a photo of your dish.

Post it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hastag #BeerLoversHH and tag me! (Facebook: I Can Cook That, Instagram: @icancookthat, Twitter: @icancookthat). Send them my way by Monday, September 8 for a chance to win!

Photos posted using the hashtag will also be compiled onto Sourcebooks’ Pinterest page and shared across Sourcebooks Media.

Pair with: Vienna Lager, Golden Ale, American Wheat Ale

Adapted from The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 Portobello mushroom caps, sliced into bite-size pieces
2 medium eggplant, peeled and diced (I used graffiti eggplant)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (16 oz) beer of your choice, preferably the same beer you’re pairing with the dish (I used Walt Wit)
1⁄2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 pound rotini pasta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Continue reading Eggplant & Portobello Pasta #BeerLoversHH

Seared Steak with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

I live near-ish Kennett Square, PA, the “mushroom capital of the world.” For the last 28 years, Kennett Square has hosted an amazing Mushroom Festival the first weekend following Labor Day. I love this festival. There are cooking demonstrations, contests, farm tours, and of course, a ton of mushroom filled dishes. But honestly the best part of the festival is the ability to stock up on all different kinds of mushrooms.

So for the week following the Mushroom Festival each year, I gorge myself on all things mushroom. You may have noticed that each year this blog gets very fungi-filled in September. (Past posts: Mushroom Risotto, Mushroom Green Bean and Farro Salad with a Poached Egg and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, and Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon).

Beef and Mushrooms are really wonderful together, which is why you see them paired so often. To get the most flavor out of these ingredients, I wanted to sear steak (I used filet tail), cook the mushrooms in the same pan, and then make a sauce with some of the browned bits left in the pan.

I made this one-pot dish in a new offering from Calphalon and Williams-Sonoma: the Elite Nonstick line of pans. I received a 3-piece set which includes a 10″ Fry Pan and a 3 quart Saute Pan with a lid. These are some snaz-zy pans. I literally swooned when I opened them up. There are a bunch of great qualities to these pans that make them perfect for this recipe. The Elite Nonstick line of cookware has a textured sear nonstick surface, which seals in flavor when browning or searing. The pans are metal-utensil safe, so you can use your metal whisk or spatula without scratching the cookware. The cookware is also dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze.

Elite Nonstick just launched on Williams-Sonoma.com on September 12 and will be available in Williams-Sonoma Stores on September 27. The cookware is sold as an 11-piece set, or as individual pieces. But I am excited to announce that Calphalon is giving one I Can Cook That reader a 10″ Elite Fry Pan, valued at $150! I’ll have more on the giveaway at the end of this post.

So let’s see what these awesome pans can do! I used the 3 quart saute pan for this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 8-oz steaks (I used filet tails)
2 shallots, chopped
2 cups assorted mushrooms
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup beef stock
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
fresh chives, sliced, for garnish

Continue reading Seared Steak with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Blueberry Mushroom Risotto

Blueberry Mushroom Risotto. Hear me out. I know you read the title of this post and probably thought I’ve officially lost it. But I promise you this is amazing. I first heard about this bizarre combo in a book called The Flavor Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook. This book is fantastic. It lists pairings, common and strange, to help make your cooking a bit more adventurous. I page through it all the time, and have learned some yummy pairings. But the one that has stuck out to me the most is the mushroom and blueberry combination.

Apparently northern Italy cooking commonly pairs fruit with mushrooms according to the book. Who knew? My fellow Philadelphian (and internationally known chef) Marc Vetri also has a porcini and blueberry lasagna in one of his cookbooks: Il Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey.

So when I found myself the proud recipient of a bunch of mushrooms from To-Jo Mushrooms, I knew it was finally time to try it out. It has been a really crummy, rainy day so I was craving comfort food. Risotto is a perfect rainy day food: hearty, creamy, and absolutely delicious! I’m a huge fan of mushroom risotto so I was excited to try this spin on it. In the past, I’ve made a traditional Mushroom Risotto, as well as a Wild Mushroom Farro Risotto.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup shallots, sliced
3 slider mushrooms, sliced (or 2 large portobello mushrooms)
1/4 cup assorted dry mushrooms, optional (I used a mixture of morel, chanterelle, and trumpet mushrooms)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups beef stock
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Blueberry Mushroom Risotto

Caprese Stuffed Grilled Balsamic Portobello Mushrooms

With grilling season here, I am in search of recipes that aren’t just, well, burgers. I love a good grilled burger, but they can get old pretty quickly. I realized recently that I haven’t had many mushroom recipes lately so this is the perfect time to try grilling a portobello mushroom! I kind of combined two recipes for inspiration for this post. The mushrooms are first brushed with a soy-balsamic marinade and grilled. They are then filled with a mixture of tomatoes, mozzarella, roasted garlic, and basil.

Ingredients:

6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 large portobello mushrooms

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 small to medium sized tomatoes, chopped
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Open-Faced Sandwiches with Mushrooms and Fried Eggs

Brunch appeals to my indecisive side: I love not having to choose between breakfast or lunch. Philadelphia is a huge brunch town so almost every weekend I have the opportunity to have an awesome brunch at a local coffee shop or restaurant. This weekend, I decided to stay home for brunch and try out this delicious sounding recipe from Cooking Light. The recipe includes mushrooms, a fried egg, tomatoes, and pesto … did they make this recipe especially for me?!

Ingredients (this makes 4 servings):

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided (I used basil olive oil)
1 cup thinly sliced shallots, divided
3 portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 teaspoons refrigerated pesto (or fresh, check out my recipe here)
4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices Italian bread
2 ounces grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1/2 cup)
4 large eggs
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices beefsteak tomato
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

The wonderful people at Nudo sent me a new product on their site: the Squadra Italiana Set which includes cold press olive oil, olive oil with Sicilian chillies, and a free tin of extra virgin olive oil stone ground with fresh basil. These olive oils are absolutely wonderful on their own, to just dip breads in. But I wanted to add that extra punch of basil to this dish so I used the basil olive oil to add a little bit more flavor. Expect these tasty olive oils to show up in quite a few posts in the coming weeks. (You can get your own Squadra Italiana Set here)

If you’re making your own pesto, do that first. It takes maybe 5 minutes and tastes considerably better (at least I think so).

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Add 2/3 cup shallots and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the wine, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, scraping the pan to loosen up the brown bits. Cook for 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan and keep warm. Preheat your broiler.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan, swirling to coat. Add the remaining 1/3 cup shallots and saute for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Spread 2 teaspoons pesto over one side of each bread slice. Top each slice with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Broil for 2 minutes and set aside.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook until whites set, about 4 minutes.

Boy did I botch this egg. Oh well, it will still taste good!

Top each bread slice with 2 tomato slices.

Divide the mushroom mixture evenly among the bread slices. Top each serving with 1 egg. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper, shallots and basil.

This is quite the meal!

I loved the meatiness of the mushrooms which went so well with the egg. Tomatoes are in season right now so they were absolutely perfect in this dish. And my pesto was pretty darn good if I do say so myself 🙂 This meal, although it’s called a “sandwich” definitely required a fork and knife, and even then got a bit messy. But that’s part of the fun!

Grilled Duck with Warm Mushroom Salad and Truffle Vinaigrette

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Grilling is synonymous with Memorial Day in my mind, so I was so happy to receive a Grilling Cookbook from Cooking Light a few days ago. The cookbook: Cooking Light Way to Cook Grilling: The Complete Visual Guide to Healthy Grilling is pretty darn snazzy. The photos are gorgeous, so um, please don’t compare my crummy photos for this recipe to the ones in the book, that will make me sad. Anyways, when I saw a recipe for grilled duck, I wanted to try it. I love duck, it’s a go-to for me at restaurants. But, I’m beyond terrified to cook it myself. It’s a tough meat to cook, and if overcooked, can be super crummy. Plus, it’s not exactly cheap! But grilling? I think I can handle that…

This recipe sounded like it was written just for me and my boyfriend. Before even opening the cookbook this was our conversation:

“We should try grilling a meat we’ve never made before, I’m not in the mood for a normal burger”

“Yeah, and maybe we can grill up some asparagus and mushrooms as well. I do want a meat as part of the meal though.”

We turn to this recipe, which managed to incorporate all of our requirements, and we were sold. The only thing we weren’t sold on? The marinating time. The original recipe suggested marinating the duck overnight, up to two days. We wanted duck, and we wanted it well before tomorrow, so our marinating was closer to 3 hours instead. There are also some pretty pricey ingredients in this dish, so this would definitely be a special occasion type of meal.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-ounce) boneless duck breast, skinned
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
3 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 5 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced portobello mushroom caps (about 5 ounces)
3/4 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut asparagus
1 1/2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons truffle oil

Continue reading Grilled Duck with Warm Mushroom Salad and Truffle Vinaigrette

Mushroom Risotto

This past weekend, Kennett Square held it’s annual Mushroom Festival. I unfortunately didn’t get to go this year, but my parents dropped off a variety of mushrooms for me. When I have a lot of different types of mushrooms, my go to recipe is a mushroom risotto.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
2 cups assorted mushrooms, sliced (I used oyster, shiitake, portobello & trumpet)
1/2 a small onion, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/3 cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Continue reading Mushroom Risotto

Portobello and Black Bean Quesadillas

I have been really panicking about using all of my CSA ingredients this week. I am headed to the beach next week and can’t stand the idea of these ingredients going to waste! Thankfully, Cooking Light had a recipe that incorporated a lot of the ingredients I received this week.

Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas
Cooking spray
2 portobello caps, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below)
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon minced green chilis
1 cup preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onions
Fresh Salsa
Sour Cream, optional

Ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette:
(you’ll have some leftover for a salad later)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (I used 1 garlic scape… came with my CSA share)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

To make the vinaigrette, add the vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper to a bowl and whisk until the salt dissolves. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly. You can also just add the ingredients to a jar and shake to combine.

Place your tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute and leave in the microwave while preparing the rest of the dish.

Cook your mushrooms in a saute pan coated with cooking spray. If you don’t have cooking spray, use a bit of olive oil, maybe a teaspoon. Saute the mushrooms for 2 minutes, or until tender.

Add the vinaigrette, black beans, onions and green chile. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Mash the mixture slightly. If you have a potato masher, Cooking Light suggests using that. I don’t, so a fork will have to do!

Spoon 1/4 of the mixture onto each tortilla.

Divide the cheese equally among the tortillas.

Fold the tortillas in half.

I have a panini grill/griddle, so I used that to cook the quesadillas. If you do not have one, just use the same saute pan you used to make the black bean mixture, just wipe it down well before! Coat with cooking spray and place two quesadillas on the griddle/pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the cheese is melted. If using a griddle, I cooked them for about 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.

Cut each quesadilla into three wedges. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

I was afraid this wouldn’t have much flavor, but the vinaigrette and slight spice from the green chilies added just enough interest without going over the top. I couldn’t get enough of this dish! The salsa was a perfect complement as well. I am definitely adding this to my list of repeat meals.

Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Hazelnuts

Despite growing up on pasta, I didn’t experience fresh pasta (besides ravioli) until recently, and I fell in love with it. As much as I wish I had my own pasta maker so that I could enjoy it all the time, I don’t have the space, money, or time to whip out fresh pasta for dinner. However, I found a place near me that sells fresh pasta in different widths (spaghetti to lasagna sheets) and flavors (egg, spinach, pumpkin, etc). So I was beyond excited when this month’s Cooking Light came with a recipe for fresh Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Hazelnuts. I made some very slight alterations (ie bigger mushroom to pasta ratio) but the overall recipe is mostly intact.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound fresh fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped blanched hazelnuts (You can find blanched hazelnuts in stores. I already had hazelnuts, so I blanched them myself. I’ve included a how-to below)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 package each of portobello, cremini, and shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved or grated
2 tablespoons chopped chives

To blanch hazelnuts:

As you can see in the bottom right corner in the above photo, I had shelled hazelnuts on hand. Instead of buying blanched hazelnuts, I decided to try on my own. It honestly was pretty darn simple!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet (just for convenience, use one with a lip so that they don’t roll off. Cook the hazelnuts for about ten minutes. Using a paper towel or a cloth towel, take a few hazelnuts at a time and rub them back and forth within the towel to remove the dark brown layer. Some of mine were being stubborn, but I think it was overall a success.

Blanched hazelnuts, w/ some brown left on (oh well)

Cook the fettuccine in boiling water with no salt or fat added (if there are directions, follow them. mine, I guessed 5 minutes and it tasted A-ok to me). When draining the pasta, put a bowl or measuring cup under the colander to reserve 3/4 cup water.

To prepare the mushroom/hazelnut mixture, melt the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the blanched hazelnuts and cook for 3 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on them, you want a somewhat even toast on them. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

toasted hazelnuts

Add oil to the pan. When heated, add the garlic and mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir in chopped sage, pasta, reserved cooking liquid, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss. I gave it a minute to sort of meld together over the heat (I have an electric stove, so I turned off the burner, but left the pan over the still warm burner). Remove from heat, and add cheese, hazelnuts, and top with chives.

This turned out great! The flavors were fantastic. I was pretty wary about a sauce-less pasta dish; my previous posts show how much I love sauce, but there was enough going on that a sauce wasn’t needed at all. A definite plus, this took about 20 minutes from start to finish! How I love feasible week day meals.

Pasta in a Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

When the weather gets cold, I start craving pasta, pasta, and more pasta (I fully blame this on my Italian mother). I don’t want to get stuck eating the same thing every night though, so I try to have a few recipes on hand that I can cycle through so that I don’t get sick of my delicious carbs.

Combining my love of mushrooms with my affinity of pasta, I tend to use this recipe a lot. This recipe does include whipping cream though, so I wouldn’t suggest making this a weekly staple. But it is a really easy and comforting meal.

Ingredients:

1 box uncooked farfalle pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1 package of each of the following: shiitake, cremini, portobello and oyster mushrooms (if your supermarket has an exotic mushroom blend, grab 2 of those. If some other mushroom is calling your name, feel free to sub), sliced
½ cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
Pepper, to taste
¼ cup dry white wine (I just used whatever white wine was on hand and open)
2/3 cup whipping cream
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley