I mess around in the kitchen an awful lot. Usually, I look at what we have in the refrigerator and try to come up with dishes that use what we have rather than buying specific ingredients for specific recipes. Sometimes, that approach works great and sometimes it’s a train wreck. This is one of those experiments and, luckily, is one of my favorites as it turns out great time and time again. I’ve made this basic dish a number of different ways with lots of different ingredients. This is a flexible dish in that you can use whatever vegetables you prefer or have on hand. You can also serve this in a variety of ways from an appetizer to side dish to a main course. Portobello mushrooms vary greatly in size, so depending on the size of the mushrooms and your game plan for the rest of the meal, you can certainly use this flexibility to your advantage by simply inserting it into whichever slot fits best for you that day.
For this specific dish, I used Tuscan kale, Portobello mushrooms, tomatoes, and fresh garlic that I found at the Summit farmer’s market. I lightly cooked the garlic and tomatoes, wilted the kale, and added some fresh breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and homemade garlic mayonnaise to combine. Combine all the ingredients and roast until golden and you are there. If you want to lighten the dish a bit you could certainly substitute a bit of Dijon mustard and a drizzle of olive oil to bind everything in lieu of the mayonnaise. Also, if you don’t have homemade breadcrumbs, just skip the using them entirely. Store bought breadcrumbs will have the wrong texture. Really, as long as you use fresh vegetables that are in season, you can’t go wrong with this dish regardless of the direction you decide to go! Recipe follows after the jump! Continue reading →
culinary flights of fancy 