Lekker: Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

So my Dad's been on a bit of a mushroom kick lately and every weekend I come home, he buys a pair of portobello mushroom caps for us to have. Please don't ask me to explain any further because I really don't know.

Anyway, last night I realised we had some spinach in the fridge that needed using and stuffed mushrooms became pretty obvious. Grievously, I forgot how much mushrooms shrink when they cook, so with one mushroom a piece (even topped with a poached egg for some filling protein) we were a bit underfed. So to that end, I suggest you employ these as a side dish to chicken or steak; or double the portion per person to serve as a full dinner with a salad on the side; or perhaps for brunch as well. No matter what though, it's easy, fast, and delicious!

See? OK, the mushroom shrinks quite a bit so...yeah...I promise it's there and it's yummy. The molten egg yolk creates a rich sauce that pulls everything together. Oh, and? I recognise this is a crappy Instagram picture. The photography struggle in my Dad's kitchen with flickering fluorescent lights is REAL, I tell you.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
serves 2 as a side dish; or double to create a proper meal for brunch or lunch with a salad

What You Need
2 portobello mushroom caps
1 very large handful fresh baby spinach, chopped finely
1 Roma tomato, seeded and finely diced
About 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (We didn't have any pre-made panko breadcrumbs in the house so I just made my own using a piece of whole wheat bread grated on a box grater. Spread it out on a pan lined with aluminum foil--you'll reuse the same one to bake the mushrooms so you're not dirtying another dish--and spray with cooking oil of your choice. Bake at 375 for about 4 minutes and they'll be crispy and good to go.)
1/2 cup of grated cheese of your choice (I used grated extra sharp cheddar since that's what we had but feta, Parmesan, or any other hard cheese would be great here.)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
S & P, to taste
1/2 teaspoon olive oil, maybe

Optional: two eggs, poached, to top

What You Do
1. Preheat your oven to 375. As with all mushrooms, first wipe them down with a damp paper towel to get off any excess dirt. Then, using a spoon, gently scrape out the dark gills on the underside. I've never been formally told to do this, but they REALLY freak me out and don't look delicious at all, and I know other people do it, so--follow the crowd. Do it. Also creates a deeper bowl to stuff more delicious things in.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the spinach, tomato, breadcrumbs, cheese, oregano, and salt and pepper. If it looks very dry and isn't bonding well, add a bit of olive oil to bond it all together.

3. On a small baking sheet lined with foil, lay your mushroom caps upside down. Spoon the mixture into the cavity until it's well heaped.

4. Bake for 10 minutes, and then turn on your broiler and broil for about 2-3 minutes to get the breadcrumbs right on the top nice and crispy.

You can be busy poaching your eggs while the mushrooms are baking, if you opt to serve them that way, which you should, because I said so. I can't WAIT to make these for brunch this weekend, perfect alongside a mimosa or seven.

Lekker: Guatemalan Black Beans

KNOCKKNOCK...knock.

Hi.

Why, and how, on EARTH--did I think I would have more free time in college than I did working a 9-5 job? I know nothing. Not about time management, and certainly not about calculus either. Sigh.

With a grocery budget down to $40 a week, all I've been eating for the last few months is Greek salads, eggs on toast, tuna (from a can, of course) and the perennial tinned food of Le Cheap People: beans. Beans on toast is a traditional last-resort dinner for college students (and other broke people) in the UK, but having grown up with a Guatemalan-born mother, I go a slightly different direction with these easy, protein-packed Guatemalan black beans.

If you're not too worried about carbs, serve these over some cooked rice (brown rice for maximum nutritional value, of course, that white stuff is just nonsense) or with some tortillas to sop it all up. Since we all know protein is the thing that keeps us fuller for longer, and thus eating less (you DO know that right???) I like to top these with a poached or fried egg with a dab of hot sauce drizzle.

Oh, and don't cry for me and my budget too much, Argentina--with such lean, light foods I'm down 8 pounds. YAAAASUH!

 

 It might not be pretty (bean dishes rarely are) but to me, it's the perfect filling comfort food.

Guatemalan Black Beans

This serves, like, one and a half. Enough for dinner and some leftovers.

What You Need

1 tin black beans (Goya brand preferred) rinsed and drained

1 tin diced tomatoes

1/2 a large yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Preferred oil for frying

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/4 teaspoon or less crushed red pepper flakes, just for a little kick

Seriously, that's it!

What You Do

1. This is so simple. In a medium sized saucepot, fry up the onion until it's soft and golden brown. Throw in the minced garlic for the last minute and stir, just until it's nice and fragrant. Add the beans and the tomatoes (with their juice) and stir to combine. Add the cumin and crushed red pepper flakes, stir, and simmer for about 20 minutes. It'll look a little dry at first, but as it cooks the beans and the tomatoes will release more moisture.

2. For the last 2-3 minutes, toss in the cilantro. When it gets overcooked it looks gross.

3. Optional: top with a poached or fried egg with or without hot sauce, or with rice, or tortillas. Nom nom nom.