Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes

I've been dying to stuff something into a portabella ever since I saw Catherine's lucious-looking Portobellos Stuffed with Lentils, Stilton, & Walnuts last month. I've also been looking for a unique way to serve mashed potatoes, so last night I came up with this idea. (I had thought about stuffing them with hummus, but since having hummus pizza on vacation, I'm over the idea of hot hummus, probably forever.)

This is more a side-dish than an appetizer, though you can pick them up and eat them with your fingers. Don't let the weird color fool you--they're really tasty! In fact, I just went to the fridge to have the leftovers for lunch and was crushed to find that my husband had taken them to work. So, to be safe, make two batches!

Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes
(serves 3 as a side dish)

10 ounces small potatoes (I used 5 or 6 fingerlings)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
1 cup basil, packed
1 tbsp. vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
2-3 tbsp. plain soymilk
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or toasted pinenuts (optional)
sprinkling of vegan parmesan (optional)
6 medium-sized portabella mushrooms

Boil the potatoes until they are completely tender. I pressure cooked mine for 6 minutes and let the pressure come down naturally. While they are cooking, make the pesto:

In a food processor, puree the garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, and basil, using a tablespoon or two of water to make the blades run smoothly. Mixture should be coarsely chopped, not completely smooth.

When the potatoes are done, remove them to a mixing bowl and mash them thoroughly. (I chose to leave the skin on mine, but you may peel them first.) Add 2-3 tablespoons of soymilk, until they achieve a creamy yet still stiff consistency. Add the pesto mixture, 1 tablespoon of vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste; blend thoroughly. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts or pinenuts, if desired.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Clean the portabellas and remove the stem and any fluffy flesh that surrounds it. Brush a baking dish with a few drops of olive oil, and use the same brush to brush the bottoms of the mushrooms. Fill the mushrooms with the potato mixture, heaping it in the middle, and set them in the baking dish. Sprinkle the tops with the parmesan, if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and potatoes are beginning to brown. Serve hot.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free Eat to Live