Grilled Shrimp-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom

Our roving palates resulted in another recipe mash up and the offspring looks like a stuffed Portobello mushroom and tastes a bit like New Orleans style barbecue shrimp.  This experiment was more the result of a wine-fueled brainstorm motivated by the boredom of our typical Portobello mushroom recipes than the invention of variations simply because we’re missing a few ingredients and are forced to make substitutions. The shrimp and Panko stuffing soaked in the buttery Creole seasonings is the highlight of this recipe.

I use my trusty grapefruit spoon to scoop out the gills.

Cook the onion and garlic and set aside. Reuse the pan to cook the shrimp.

Heat the oil, butter, Worcestershire, and seasonings. Add Panko, shrimp, and onion. Reuse the pan, less dishes!

Mix with cheese and bacon bits. Stuff into mushrooms and top with cheese (or add cheese halfway through grilling.)

Ingredients

• 2 Portobello mushrooms with stems and gills removed
• 4-5 large shrimp
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup of Panko
• 1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon bacon bits
• 2 teaspoons of Andy Roo’s Louisiana BBQ Shrimp Creole Seasoning
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Clean the mushrooms and remove the grills with a grapefruit spoon. Baste the outside with olive oil.
2. In a medium-sized pan, cook the onion and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
3. Using the same pan, cook the shrimp is salted water. As soon as they are pink and curled, remove them and cut them into small pieces. Pour the water in the drain.
4. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter is melted, add the Creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low heat for one minute.
5. In the pan, stir in the small pieces of shrimp, onion, and Panko. Allow the Panko to absorb the oils.
6. Meanwhile, beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the mixture from the pan to the egg and stir in the Parmesan cheese and bacon bits. If the mixture is too wet, add a little more Panko. Stuff into mushrooms.
7. Grill mushrooms on medium-high heat, adding the cheese topping about halfway through. Mushrooms are done when they are tender and the cheese is melted, less than 10 minutes.

Variations:

·       Instead of shrimp and bacon bits, use 3 slices of cooked bacon cut into small pieces.

·       Add large slices of tomato under the cheese and top with Italian herbs.

·       Swap out the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses for Gorgonzola or Blue cheese