Cheese-Stuffed Portobello

This meal definitely should make my list for Top 10 dinners in 2011. It was tasty, quick, and not totally unhealthy. While not wholly apparent by the blog, I actually love cheese. I just don't end up cooking with it much because I find that it's best if I consume it in moderation. This cheesy stuffed portobello is packed with a variety of cheeses, and I added a "secret ingredient" to add another punch of protein to the dish. Even my dad liked this dish, and he's Mister "This needs some meat added to it!"

Cheese-Stuffed Portobello
Serves 7
Source: Adapted from The Food Network Magazine, June 2011 Issue

Ingredients

Cooking spray

7 6-inch portobello mushroom caps SS: I scooped out the gills with a spoon

6 cups spinach, chopped

100 grams extra-firm tofu

1½ cup breadcrumbs (preferably panko)

1½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 shallots

2 small tomatoes, diced

4 tablespoons grated pecorino romano cheese, plus shaved pecorino for topping

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler. Mist a foil-lined broiler pan with cooking spray. Put the mushrooms gill-side down on the pan; broil 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toss the spinach, breadcrumbs, mozzarella, chopped shallot, tomato, tofu, 3 tablespoons each pecorino and olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.

3. Remove the mushrooms from the broiler and turn them gill-side up on the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Mound the spinach filling on the mushrooms and top with the ricotta. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon pecorino and broil until the filling is heated through and the ricotta is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

The icing on the cake with this meal is the swiftness that it took to make it. Dinner in 30 minutes? Done and done!