Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

When I first moved to Seattle in the fall of 2006 I had just graduated college and moved 2,000 miles away from home. Life for me in college was pretty typical of most students, ramen noodles and pizza were the staples of my diet and I couldn't have been happier. But the food culture in Seattle was totally new and exciting to me, not to mention I lived a mere 2 blocks from Pike Place Market and visiting the produce stalls in the early morning was something I lived for. The fresh and local fruits and veggies just begged to be bought and taken home and made into something delicious. I forever left the world of college fare behind and began my expedition into all things culinary.

When I first made this dish our great friends Ashley and Bo came over for dinner and brought over another couple from out of town who Ashley had gone to college with. I invited them over for dinner as I'm prone to do and this is the dish that I made. I can't for the life of me remember where I got the idea but I do remember that it was a hit at the dinner table.

Fast forward 4 years later and Ashley's friends were back in town to celebrate her wedding with Bo. They mentioned the stuffed portabella mushrooms that I made for them several years earlier and that they loved it so much that they made it at home for themselves on a regular basis. I was shocked! I felt tingly all over, who doesn't want to hear that something they cooked was so well loved to be remembered so many years later?

That's why I'm sharing this recipe with you today. It's a great main dish and portabella mushrooms are so hearty that no carnivore will be unsatisfied. Let me know what you think!

Portabella Mushrooms Stuffed with Root Vegetables

2 portabella mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
3 parsnips, diced
1 celery root, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces Gruyere cheese 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss garlic, onion, carrots, parsnips, celery root, thyme, and balsamic vinegar with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. While vegetables are roasting remove stem and gills from mushrooms and coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Puree roasted vegetables with an immersion blender or food processor.  Stuff mushroom caps with roasted vegetables and top with Gruyere cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and mushrooms become tender.