Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Chipotle Turkey-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms


 

Like many food bloggers and enthusiastic home cooks, I have a bit of a cookbook addiction.  Sometimes I buy a cookbook because I just love looking at the pretty pictures and reading the recipes (I know I'm not the only one who reads them like novels).  But some cookbooks I buy because I know I will cook from them until they are tattered, stained, and falling apart at the seams.  Such is the case with Ellie Krieger's Weeknight Wonders.  I've sung the praises of her book So Easy in the past, yet dare I say that I like this one even better?  I pretty much flagged every single recipe as I flipped through this cookbook the first time, and I've loved everything that we've had so far.

Do you also remember when I told you that I can never decide what to make first when I get a new cookbook?  And how I always shove the book in Joey's face and make him decide?  Well, I didn't do that this time.  Because as soon as I saw these stuffed mushrooms, I knew.

I mean, really.  A portobello mushroom stuffed with a spicy, cheesy filling?  Done and done.  I've made many many variations of stuffed mushrooms in the past, but surprisingly, never a Mexican version.  It was only a matter of time though, and these definitely filled the void.

The filling is a mixture of ground turkey chipotle chiles, tomatoes, corn, a taco-like seasoning blend, and a modest amount of cheese.  It's a killer combination, and definitely a nice and healthy alternative to taco night.  Before serving, I topped each mushroom with a big scoop of guacamole, and it was a great addition... though when is guac not a great addition?  I thought so.

While this is not a vegetarian meal, I think you could easily convert it that way by using a can of black beans or pinto beans.  Maybe even add some sautéed veggies and some extra corn?  Or some sautéed mushrooms perhaps?

Since stuffed mushrooms aren't very easy to eat for a toddler, I dumped the filling out and chopped up the mushrooms for the boys.  Then I mixed the chopped mushrooms into the filling and fed it to them by the spoonful.  It was a great way to "sneak" an extra veggie into their dinner.

We actually had quite a bit of filling leftover, and it was great as a dip with some chips, rolled up into a tortilla as a taco, or just eaten by the spoonful.  It's very versatile, and well... just really good.  Healthy Mexican food, for the win!



Chipotle Turkey-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
adapted from Ellie Krieger's Weeknight Wonders
serves 6

  • 6 portobello mushroom caps
  • 2 Tbs canola oil
  • 3/4 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 tsp sauce
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chile powder
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
  • 2/3 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
  • 1/3 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/3 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese
  • guacamole, for serving
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Pop out the stump from the mushroom caps, then use a butter knife to scrape out the gills.  Brush the caps on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the oil (total), then sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.  Lay them cap side-down on a baking sheet, and cook until they are tender and juicy, 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  If they have given off a lot of water, use a paper towel to lightly dab up the excess.  

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining tablespoon of oil.  Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add the ground turkey, and stirring to break up clumps, cook until it's no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, chipotle chile and sauce, cumin, oregano, chile powder, and remaining salt and pepper, and cook an additional minute.  Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and corn, and bring to a simmer.

Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Preheat the broiler.

Scoop about 1/2 cup of the filling into each mushroom cap, then sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon each of the cheddar and pepperjack cheeses.  Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully!).

Divide the mushrooms among plates and top each mushroom with a healthy scoop of guacamole.





6 comments:

Josie said...

I am pretty sure that Weeknight Wonders is my favorite cookbook right now too, and I love curling up with a good cookbook! I have not made this recipe yet, but I am not salivating for it! It looks amazing, I can't ever resist something that you can top with guacamole!

Josie said...

I love cookbooks too. We could open the discussion of how many cookbooks are too many, but let's don't go there. I can certainly see why this recipe was a no brainer. The mix of spices and ingredients and yet all in all it's not calorie laden makes it a winner.

Josie said...

Whenever I get a cookbook like that, I am positively over the moon for weeks as I cook through it! It's such a great feeling knowing you've got a winner in your arsenal. These stuffed mushrooms sound awesome! With all that tex-mex flavor, I might even get the.boy to eat shrooms...

Josie said...

If anything will work, it's a tex-mex stuffing!

Josie said...

No, let's definitely not go there! I keep meaning to pare down my collection, but I really and truly just love them all, regardless of how much I cook from them!

Josie said...

Have we discussed this one yet? Which recipes have you made so far?? I swear I have almost every single recipe flagged - definitely the sign of a good cookbook!

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