Portobello Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one of the few vegetables (well, they’re not technically vegetables but…) that are available from UK growers all year round. While they may only appear in fields and on tree stumps in autumn it’s always the season for our portobellos! 

Vegetarians who have suffered one too many unimaginative and stingily-stuffed portobellos on pub menus, or worse, so-called ‘burgers’ that were nothing more than an underdone mushroom in a sad bun, might still be wary of these, but when you’re ready to come back to them, they’ll be here waiting, eager to redeem themselves in your estimation. 
Portobello mushrooms aren’t a different species, they’re essentially chestnut mushrooms that have delusions of grandeur, or have gone through a growth spurt. Their size does make them perfect for stuffing, but the world is your oyster here (perhaps we shouldn’t confuse things and use that analogy, to be clear these aren’t oyster mushrooms…).You could fill them with anything from leftover risotto topped with breadcrumbs to a Welsh rarebit or even nut roast mix. How about recreating your favourite pizza on a smaller scale? Pesto portobellos! Quattro formaggi portabellos! Primavera portobellos! 

If you don’t fancy leaving them whole, they can be used anywhere you’d require their smaller siblings, and they’ll impart an even richer flavour, exuding an almost inky juice. A portobello and walnut pate perhaps? Like all mushrooms, you want to avoid steaming or boiling, as they will become slimy or rubbery and you’ll miss out on their meaty depth. It’s best to dry or flash fry.