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Roasted Portobello Mushrooms With Beets and Goat Cheese

(Family Features) - Need a stunning starter for a special Valentine's meal? These stuffed, roasted portobello mushrooms are the answer. Perfectly portioned and designed to be made ahead, your guests will be impressed not only with the taste but also the sophistication of this dish.

The easy-to-make filling starts with convenient, ready-to-use Aunt Nellie's Pickled Beets. The homemade flavor and sweet, tangy taste of the beets harmonizes with nutty walnuts and creamy goat cheese to create an irresistible taste sensation. The mushroom caps can be stuffed ahead and refrigerated until needed. Then it's less than 15 minutes in the oven to roast the portobellos and melt the cheese.

Having a cocktail party or serving buffet style? Then check out the appetizer version of this recipe. Instead of full-size portobellos, baby ones (also know as crimini mushrooms) are stuffed and roasted. These stylish miniature versions are also impressive.

Whatever the setting, Roasted Portobello Mushrooms With Beets and Goat Cheese are sure to be the star of the meal.

Roasted Portobello Mushrooms With Beets and Goat Cheese

Ingredients
  • 1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt Nellie's Whole Pickled Beets
  • 4 large portobello mushrooms (about 1 pound)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs, such as sourdough or whole wheat*
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions or chopped chives
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation
    1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain beats, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup beets; set remaining whole beets aside with beet liquid to use in Vegetable Platter With Balsamic-Beet Vinaigrette (recipe follows).
    2. Trim stems flat and remove gills from mushroom caps using a spoon; discard. Place caps, rounded sides down, on foil-lined baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.
    3. Combine chopped beets, bread crumbs, green onions and walnuts in medium bowl; mix well. Spoon mixture into caps and top with cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through and mushrooms are tender.

Serves
Makes: 4 servings

Notes, Tips & Suggestions
*To make fresh bread crumbs, place 1 or 2 pieces of sourdough or whole wheat bread in food processor; pulse until finely crumbled.

Notes:
To Make Ahead: Stuff mushroom caps. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours before baking.

Appetizer Variation: Remove stems from 1 pound baby portobello or crimini mushrooms. Proceed as directed above, mounding caps with crumb mixture and topping with cheese. Bake as directed above. This version makes about 18 stuffed mushrooms.

Vegetable Platter With Balsamic-Beet Vinaigrette: Arrange reserved beets on platter with an assortment of steamed fresh vegetables such as baby carrots, green and wax beans, sugar snap peas and small halved new and fingerling potatoes. Combine 1/4 cup reserved beet juice with 3/4 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle vinaigrette over vegetables.

SOURCE: Aunt Nellie's Beets (Seneca Corporation)

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