Stuffed Portabellas on a Bed of Spaghetti

These portabella mushroom caps are delicious and even your carnivore friends will enjoy them!

Ingredients:

For the mushrooms:

2 Large Portabella mushroom caps

2 egg whites

4 Tbsp gruyere cheese

1 Tbsp whipping cream

Salt and pepper

For the pasta:

I used a small amount of pasta for this, maybe just under a serving for 2 people.

Half of a red pepper diced into small pieces

3 Tbsp red onion

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp lemon juice

4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1/2 Cup whipping cream

Salt and Pepper

Serves 2

1. Cover a metal cookie sheet with tin foil. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Clean the mushroom caps, this includes removing the center stem and the black/gray fibers. I break the stem off with my fingers and use a grapefruit spoon to remove the black fibers that go around the stem.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites (as you would if you were making scrambled eggs). Now add the cheese, whipping cream and salt and pepper. Mix in the ingredients so that they look evenly distributed.

4. Place your mushroom caps up (with the empty middle part facing down), and drizzle olive oil on them, then take your fingers and rub it around, being sure to cover the top of your mushroom cap, season with salt and pepper. Stick them in the oven for 2 or 3 minutes. You want them to get a little heat and the olive oil will begin to penetrate.

5. Remove the tray of caps from the oven. Keeping the mushrooms on the tray, turn them over so that the empty middle, which is shaped like a shallow bowl, is facing up. Try to get your mushrooms to sit steady and not lean too much on either side. If you have trouble getting them to sit up straight you can cut away a very small sliver of the top of the cap to be sure that it sits straight up.

6. When you have your mushroom caps facing down and the empty bowl area facing up (and they are steady), spoon in half of your mixture into the cap. If it begins to spill over, don’t worry, but try to keep it in the mushroom. Now do the same to your second cap.

7. Place your mushroom caps in the oven for 10 minutes. Check on them 7 minutes in to see how they look. The cheese and egg mixture should be solid or almost solid. At minute 10, turn your broiler on, and leave your oven ajar. Broil for 1-2 minutes, checking to be sure that nothing burns. The tops should get a little bubbly and golden brown.

For the pasta:

1. Boil your pasta. In another small sauce or soup pan, melt your butter. Sauté your red onions for 3-4 minutes on low – medium heat.
2. Now add your diced red pepper, and sautéd for 3- 4 minutes, keeping it at low – medium heat.
3. Add your cooked spaghetti to the onions and peppers. Add the lemon juice, leaving your pan at low heat. Now add your half cup of whipping cream. If Your pasta is wet, keep your eyes on it and turn your pasta to low/medium heat. Cook for 1-3 minutes while stirring.
4. Add your Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, continue stirring, as you cook it the sauce should get thicker.
5. Time for a quick taste test. Add whatever you feel it needs.

Plate the pasta, add a sprinkle of parmesan on top. Voila!