Portabella French Dips

From an old issue of my now defunct favorite mag... Veggie Life

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  cups  vegetable stock
• 1 -2  teaspoon  Braggs liquid aminos or 1 -2  teaspoon  liquid amino acid or 1 -2  teaspoon soy sauce
• 1  dried shiitake mushroom, crushed (optional)
• 4  large portabella mushrooms
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  large bell pepper
• 1⁄2 large yellow onion
• 24  inches baguette
• 2  tablespoons butter (optional) or 2  tablespoons vegan margarine (optional)

Directions

1. You want a nice dark vegetable stock. Slice the bell pepper into 8 rings. Slice the onion thickly and separate into half rings. The baquette should be 24 inches long, half it lenghtwise and cut into 4 buns.
2. Combine stock, Braggs, and shiitake in pan. Trim the portobello stems ends and then remove stems, rinse, and chop coarsely. Add to Braggs mix. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes after you reduce the heat.
3. Brush any dirt from portobello caps then slice each cap in half (as you would split a layer cake), forming 8 mushroom cutlets. Note this is not going to be easy so be careful.
4. In a large heavy non stick sillet, sauté mushroom cutlets in oil over medium heat until slightly softened, about 2 minutes per side. So 2 at a time so you don't crowd them. Then set aside.
5. After you are done keep the heat on and add pepper and onion slices to skillet. Sauté until slightly softened, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes.
6. Strain hot stock using a fine mesh into skillet. Toss what remains in strainer and add mushrooms cutlets to skillet, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender and broth is rich and dark. You want 1 1/2 cups broth. Add water if needed. I add a bit of stock to that water but your choice.
7. Spread rolls with butter if using and toast them lightly under broiler. I also simply grill the sandwich side like the do in restaurants. To do that simply heat a cast iron skillet or grill and place the rolls face down on it. Check. When it toasts remove.
8. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from broth and arrange on bottom halves of rolls. Replace tops and cut sandwiches in half.
9. Serve each sandwich with a small bowl of the broth for dipping.