Recipe courtesy of Ralph Pallarino
Stuffed Pepper Served on a Marinated Portobello
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 1 serving
- Total: 4 hr 20 min
- Prep: 50 min
- Inactive: 2 hr 30 min
- Cook: 1 hr
Ingredients
1 large portobello mushroom cap
3 ounces balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1/2 cup, plus 1/2 cup
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn
1 bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 medium eggplant, sliced
Kosher salt
1 small red bell pepper, diced, plus 1 large, top removed and seeded
1 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, plus 1
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
1 cup diced asparagus, plus 1/2 cup
1 cup white wine, plus 1/2 cup
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 (8-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 lemon, juiced
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- To marinate the Portobello Mushroom: In a deep bowl place mushroom cap, balsamic vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil then mix well with hands. Finish mixture with torn pieces of basil and thyme (about 1/2 bunch of each) to release natural oils. Let stand for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes place mushroom on hot grill or broiler for 2 minutes on each side, slightly charring the outside while keeping the inside raw. Set aside.
- To prepare eggplant: In a large deep bowl place slices of eggplant, apply kosher salt liberally to each slice, repeat in layers. Take a plate and put it on top of the eggplant and apply weight on the plate using anything that weighs a couple of pounds. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours, then rinse drain and pat dry until all water is removed. Finally dice into cubes for stuffing.
- To prepare stuffing for pepper: In hot saute pan add 1/2 cup olive oil until shimmering, then add diced pepper, onion, 2 cloves garlic, tomatoes, remaining basil and thyme, 1 cup of the asparagus, eggplant, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Saute until ingredients brown and you can smell the garlic (about 3 minutes) at this time add 1 cup white wine scraping bottom of saute pan - let simmer for 1 minute. In a separate bowl mix the cooked rice with the stuffing. If stuffing appears to dry add more olive oil.
- When mixture is ready, take whole pepper and stuff finishing top with some bread crumbs and a drizzle of olive oil to keep moist, put in oven set at 450 degrees F for 35 minutes.
- To prepare beans: In a hot saute pan add 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 clove garlic, remaining 1/2 cup asparagus and beans, and saute for 2 minutes, Add lemon juice, remaining 1/2 cup white wine, and salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Let simmer for 3 minutes until mixture is tight.
- To assemble plate: Place beans in center of plate, then place the portobello on top of the beans and then the stuffed pepper, finish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a drizzle of olive oil.