Four-Cheese Spinach and Pine Nut Stuffed Portobellos

Submitted by Raquel Grinnell

"This was a clear-the-fridge recipe I came up with that turned out so well, my hubby asked that I record it so we can make it again! Great vegetarian dish for Meatless Mondays if you have a couple, or a lovely side with some grilled protein. For those who MUST have protein added, bacon would be excellent in the filling!"

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 4 stuffed mushrooms
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 4 large portabella mushrooms
• 3 -4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided (I subbed bacon fat for two tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 10 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 4 ounces brie cheese, rind trimmed off
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (can also use sour cream)
• 1 teaspoon TABASCO® brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce (or other brand)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup pine nuts (my favorite nut, but pecans or walnuts would be an excellent substitution)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Clean portobello mushrooms, remove stems, chop finely and set aside. Scrape out dark gills from the underside with a spoon, taking care not to break the edges of the mushroom caps.
3. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and brush caps all over on both sides. Sprinkle with some of the pepper and the garlic salt. Set on a baking sheet (covered with foil if you want to eliminate messy clean-up) upside down and ready to fill.
4. Melt the remaining butter (or bacon fat, which is what I used for this step) in a large pan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Saute the garlic for a minute or two until fragrant, then add mushroom stems. Saute for 3-4 minutes until softened, then add the chopped spinach with the remaining pepper and saute until wilted, approximately 2-3 minutes.
5. Turn heat down to medium low and add the cream cheese, brie and half of the parmesan (save half to top the stuffed caps), yogurt, and chipotle sauce (to taste, we like a bit of spice). Stir to incorporate, cover and allow cheeses to melt for about 5-6 minutes. Check to see if they're melted - if they are, stir again and then add the cheddar. Stir to incorporate, turn off the heat and cover. The cheddar is the binding cheese, which is why you add it last.
6. After 2 minutes, stir in the pine nuts. Fill the mushroom caps with the spinach/cheese mixture and top with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until the parmesan is lightly browned. Enjoy!