Stuffed portobello mushrooms

This is yet another wonderful appetizer or anti-pasto.  You will definitely get a lot of OOs and AAHs for this one.  I bet you will have no left over.  I didn’t!

Serving for 4

Main Ingredients:

10 medium size portobello mushrooms

1 cup shredded fresh parmesan cheese

1 tbsp chopped chives

½ cup bread crumbs

Ingredients for filling:

(A)

250 gm minced pork of beef

1 tbsp chopped garlic

½  medium size chopped onion

gills of the portobello mushrooms

1 tbsp Olive oil

½ tsp Salt

¼ ts ground black pepper

Ingredients for the sauce:

¾  cup balsamic vinegar,

½ brown sugar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp dried basil

Method to prepare the filling:

Blend garlic and onion in olive oil.  Mix minced pork or beef together blended garlic and onion in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Shape the meat patty into the shape a ball and put in the fridge for 2 hours.

Method to prepare the mushroom:

Discard the stem and scoop out the gills of the mushroom so that there is a recess for filling. 

Method of assembly:

Pour the bread crumbs on a plate and set aside.  Oil the baking pan with olive oil and set aside. Fill mushrooms with A generously and dip the mushroom with the filling side down on the crumbs to bread the filling.  Set the mushrooms on the baking pan and top them with cheese and chives.  Bake them at 350 degrees F or 175 degrees  C for 20 mins.  In the meantime, prepare the sauce.  Warm the balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan and reduce it about ½ cup and turn of heat and add extra virgin olive oil and dried basil.  When the mushroom is baked, remove from oven and put on serving plate.  Drizzle the sauce over the mushrooms before serving.

Stuffed tomatoes and zuchinni in onion gravy - Featured as top 9 at Foodbuzz & at Group Recipes

I always keep some homemade pork pate in my freezer.  There are so many things I can make using pork pate and stuffed tomatoes and zuchinni is onion gravy is just one of the dish.  This dish should be served with freshly baked baguettes.

Ingredients:

Serving: 2

Preparation for pork pate:
600 gm minced pork of beef

   1 cup chopped fennel ( very fine )

   1/3 cup chopped spring onion

   1/2 medium size green onion

   ½ clove chopped garlic

   ground black pepper and salt to taste

Method:
Pulse blend 1 clove garlic and ½ medium size onion in a small amount of olive oil until almost combined into a spread. Add the blended mixture to a large bowl with the minced pork.  Mix with cleanly washed hands while adding  finely diced fennel and spring onion. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Shape the meat patty into ball, cover and place in the freezer for 1 hour.  Take it out of the freezer and put in the fridge till cooking time.

Preparation for vegetables:
2 plum tomato

1 zuchinni

1 cup frozen mixed vegetable

Method:
Cut of ¼ of the top of tomatoes and scrap out all the seeds
Cut zuchinni in about 1 ½ in long each piece and scrap out all the seeds.

Boil the mixed vegetables with ½ ts salt in water for about 2 mins, drain and set in the serving plate.

Stuff tomatoes and zuchinni with pork pate generously. Heat 1 tb olive oil, add vegetables with the meat side down and fry for about till meat is complete cooked.  Take out the vegetables and set them on the serving plate.

Preparation for sauce:
1 tb olive oil

1/2 tsp caramelsauce

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tb chopped onion

¼ cup chopped spring onion (only the green part)

½ cube chicken stock bullion

1 tbs oysters sauce

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1 cup water

1 tsp corn flour dissolve in 2 tbs water

Method:
Heat olive oil and fry garlic till fragrant. Add chopped onion and fry till translucent. add water, oyster sauce, chicken bullion  and ground white pepper.  Lower heat and let simmer for 1 min.  Add corn starch mixture to thicken the gravy. Pour the gravy over the vegetables and serve.


Note: if there is balance of pork pate, you can always keep in the fridge and use it for another recipe.