Cooking & Conversation: Fettuccine in Portobello Bowls

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

My husband and my sister-in-law have birthdays in March. We wanted to get together for a celebration dinner. I saw this recipe for portobello mushrooms from Better Homes and Gardens. I had the recipe tucked away, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to serve this beautiful dish. We modified the recipe and used Italian sausage in our dish along with red peppers and onions. My husband loves to cook, so I commissioned him to prepare the meal. That is a great husband who doesn't mind fixing his own birthday dinner. And, my sister-in-law brought the ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery. It was a great day!

Fettuccine topped with Italian sausage and roasted cherry tomatoes in a

grilled portobello mushroom bowl.

Recipe:

8- 4 to 5 inch fresh portobello mushrooms
1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2- 9 oz. pkgs. fresh fettuccine pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1-lb. Italian sausage
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Using a teaspoon, gently scrape the gills out of the bottom of the mushroom caps. Lightly rinse the mushrooms. Pat dry with paper towels. Brush the top and underside of the mushrooms with the 3 tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

For the charcoal grill, grill the mushroom caps, cut sides up, for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender, turning once halfway through the grilling. When done, remove from grill, and cover to keep warm.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast them for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return to pot. Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over the cooked pasta.

Brown the Italian sausage thoroughly, and drain off excess fat. Saute chopped onions, red pepper, and garlic until the vegetables are tender. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and freshly ground pepper. At the end add the black olives to warm through.

To serve, place portobello mushroom on plate. Fill portobello bowl with fettuccine pasta. Top with a generous scoop of sausage and tomato mixture.

Printable version of recipe: Fettuccine in Portobello Mushroom Bowls

Portobello or Portabella?
They are the same, just a product of manufacturer's loose grip on Italian words. Portobello is a masculine derivative; portabella is feminine.
(from answers.yahoo.com)
Portobello is used in England, Ireland, and other places around the world and it comes from Italian and means beautiful port. (porto = port, bello = beautiful).
Portabella on the other hand is also Italian, but it means beautiful DOOR (porta = door, bella = beautiful).

Portobello mushrooms stand out from all the other mushrooms in the produce section, with their large, tan to brown cap, dark underside and thick white stem. They’re related to the common button mushroom, yet have a taste and texture all their own, which makes them more versatile in the kitchen. Portobellos are fat-free and very low in calories. They’re also a rich source of selenium, copper and niacin.

Sometimes With Vitamin D
Portobello, or portabella, mushrooms are the mature form of baby crimini mushrooms. They grow up to 6 inches in diameter and possess a flat cap with a dense, meaty texture. Mushrooms are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D, but the amount they contain depends on their exposure to ultraviolet light. Most portobellos only have a small amount, but some producers significantly boost the vitamin D by treating them with ultraviolet light, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One cup of diced portobello, which equals about one mushroom, has 19 calories, 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of total carbohydrates.

Boost of Copper and Selenium
Portobello mushrooms are rich sources of copper and selenium. Your body needs copper to form connective tissue, metabolize iron, and to produce energy and antioxidants. Selenium has two primary jobs to fill: It helps produce thyroid hormones and antioxidants. It also supports your health by regulating your immune system and inflammation, according to a review published in the April 2012 issue of “Antioxidants & Redox Signaling.” One cup of diced portobello mushrooms contains 16 micrograms of selenium and 0.25 milligrams of copper. These values represent 28 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for both minerals.

Preparation Tips
Store portobello mushrooms in the refrigerator and use them within 7 to 10 days. Clean them with a damp cloth or paper towel. Don’t rinse them because they’ll absorb too much water. You can use portobello mushrooms in place of any other type of mushroom you usually enjoy, but they’re substantial enough to be the centerpiece of a dish. Try using them as a meat substitute: Grill or broil them and serve them like a hamburger. Cook portobellos with other veggies, such as green beans and sweet peppers, and serve them as a side dish or in a pita sandwich with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
(from www.livestrong.com)