Green Eats — Portabella Mushroom Stack
A great way to help the environment and revitalize your own vigour is to diversify your recipe box with some meat-free dishes
By Jessica Ford | March 16, 2010
Vegetarian food
doesn’t have to consist of unpronounceable meat substitutes and bunny chow. The modern take is to find
protein and iron in accessible foods. While you’re at it, try including local, organic produce and
sustainably raised animal proteins into the mix. We asked four restaurants from carnivorous coast to
carnivorous coast to give your vegetarian reformation a kick-start or add a few exceptional dishes to your
healthy leafy green repertoire.
The Coup,
924 17 Ave. SW, Calgary, thecoup.ca
The Coup is one half of the vegetarian and vegan restaurant and lounge The Coup + Meet. This downtown retreat
in the middle of beef central is an environmentally friendly (sustainable) power house. They use local and
organic food, rennet-free cheese, compost into their own garden, donate a percentage of their income back
into the community, plant 38 trees a month as a waste offset and use 100% solar power. Holy cow — I mean,
holy kale. This entrée uses the vegetarian-beloved portabella mushroom stacked underneath a nutty mound
of quinoa, which is packed with protein.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
| 1 | small eggplant |
| 1 | whole roasted garlic bulb |
| ¾ | cup cooked quinoa |
| 40 ml | balsamic vinegar |
| 2 tbsp | olive oil (for step 3) |
| 5 tbsp | raw tahini |
| ½ tsp | salt |
| 2 cup | mesclun mix |
| 4 | portabella mushrooms, even in size |
| 2 tsp | olive oil (for step 5) |
| 1 | medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced |
| 1½ cup | spinach or chard, chopped |
| 1 | large tomato, diced |
| ½ | package sprouts |
| 1 cup | tahini lemon dressing (see below) |
| ¼ cup | hemp oil |
| 4 | lemon wedges or rounds |
| 4 | mint leaves |
DIRECTIONS
| 1. |
Broil eggplant for approx. 30
minutes, or until a fork can puncture with ease. Flip eggplant at ½ time. |
| 2. |
Let eggplant cool in a colander and
peel off skin. |
| 3. |
In a medium bowl, mix eggplant with
garlic, quinoa, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, tahini and salt. |
| 4. |
Place spring mix evenly on 4 plates and set aside. |
| 5. |
In 2 separate pans, but
simultaneously, pan sear the portabella mushroom with olive oil, and sauté the shallots and greens. |
| 6. |
Place a cooked mushroom on each
plate, on top of the greens. |
| 7. |
Find a round plastic container
around the size of the portabella mushroom or smaller, and 3½-4 inches in height. A metal cylinder will also
work. Cut the bottom off of the container. Place container on top of mushroom, and pack ¼ full with sautéed
greens, ½ full with quinoa-eggplant mix, ¼ full with tomatoes and overflow top with sprouts. Pack down prior
to pulling container off carefully and slowly. |
| 8. |
Drizzle spring mix and plate with
tahini dressing and hemp oil. |
| 9. | Place mint on top of sprouts and lemon on the side. |
TAHINI LEMON
DRESSING (makes 1 litre)
| ¼ cup | raw tahini |
| ¾ cup | fresh lemon/lime juice |
| ½ cup | olive oil |
| 1⁄3 cup | water |
| 1 tbsp | minced garlic |
| ¼ cup | nutritional yeast (optional) |
| 1 tbsp | sea salt |
| 1 tbsp | cracked black pepper |
| 1. |
Food process all ingredients until
smooth. |
| 2. | Salt to taste; set aside. |
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