Ricotta and Bacon Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Posted on December 28, 2012 by lisa

How is it possible to eat SO much over the Christmas holidays and STILL end up with leftovers?!! I for one, love leftovers…actually, I love re-inventing leftovers.  It’s amazing how much inspiration one gets (at least I DO) with a bunch of random ingredients lingering in the fridge!

Take for example, the large tub of leftover ricotta (which I used to make fusilli with ricotta, peas and mushrooms for Christmas lunch) and the portobello mushrooms still sitting in the unopened package in the fridge.

I have to admit that the addition of bacon in this recipe was somewhat of a fluke, yet thankfully a delicious fluke!  We hardly ever eat bacon in my household (yep, it’s sad but true!).  My mom had prepared some for  Christmas Eve dinner (for her mashed potatoes and yams-which might I add, were delicious!) and brought us the leftovers…to give to our dog Jack!  Well, Jack got the shaft because I decided to use them in this recipe!

4 lg. portobello mushrooms
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup cooked bacon
Parmesan to taste
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
1-2 tbsp. parsley (fresh or frozen)
2-3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

To prepare the mushrooms, remove the stems then peel the outer layer of skin (pictured below).

*TIP: The best methods for cleaning mushrooms is by wiping them with a damp cloth or peeling the skins.  Mushrooms tend to retain a lot of water so it is best not to rinse them excessively as they’ll release all the excess liquid during the cooking process.

In a small bowl mix the ricotta, bacon, parsley (I buy a large batch, chop it all and store it in the freezer…no more soggy parsley to throw out!), salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil until combined.

Toss mushrooms to coat evenly with salt, pepper and 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil. Place skin side down on a lightly greased baking sheet (or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper).

Top each mushroom with the ricotta mixture.  Spread the mixture evenly over the mushrooms then top with freshly grated Parmesan.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms are fork tender.  Once tender I turn off the oven and turn on the grill on high heat and broil the mushrooms for 1-2 minutes until the top layer is browned.

Serve alone or as the perfect crowd-pleasing side dish!  Turn this into a toddler-friendly dish by simply chopping up the mushrooms right before serving.

What are your favourite holiday leftover re-creations?

This entry was posted in and tagged bacon, egg-free, gluten-free, mushrooms, Ricotta, Sides and Salads, Toddler Bites, Vegetables. Bookmark the permalink.

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