Stuffing things were all the rage years ago. There would not be a dinner party in the land without at least one stuffed something.
But stuffed things appear to have gone out of fashion in recent years. Apart from stuffed teddy bears. Those will always be in fashion.
Well, I am bringing stuffing things back with a vengeance!
I already shared my delicious stuffed pork tenderloin , Italian stuffed squid and a baked stuffed Camembert.
And now I am sharing my favourite Stuffed Brunch. It is vegetarian, but so utterly hearty, even the carnivores dive into this with gusto.
For this brunch, I’m not just stuffing one thing. O no. I’m stuffing two. Yes, I am going all out!
Portobello mushrooms are a godsend for vegetarians and low-carbers alike. They are the huge flat ones.
I often roast mine, then use them instead of a bun or toast to top with smashed avocado, tomatoes, eggs (poached, scrambled or fried), bacon, chorizo or a combo off any or all of the above.
Once you’ve got the brunch-style stuffing down, the possibilities are endless. You can stuff these beauties with anything and everything, top with cheese, breadcrumbs or both, then grill until golden.
They add extra depth and “mushroomy-ness” to any dish calling for plain mushrooms.
A great meat substitute in a classic stroganoff or create your own massive portobello mushroom “burger” stack. Or coat thick slices of them in crumbs and oven roast to make portobello mushroom “fries”.
I’m stuffing avocado too. Quite simply here, with an egg. And some chives.
Honestly, you’ll stuff your face with this stuffed stuff and you’ll love it.
THE RECIPE
Stuffed Brunch with Spelt, Avocado, Egg and Feta (pp GF RSF V LC)
This is lovely for lunch with a side salad too. You could guild the lily with some bacon for the non-vegetarians. But it really doesn’t need it.
Ingredients
1 large portobello mushroom
Some coconut, sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil
2-3 cherry tomatoes on the vine
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
2 tbsp cooked spelt, pearl barley, quinoa, puy lentils or buckwheat
2 tbsp red pepper, finely diced
3 tbsp finely shredded spinach, kale or rocket
1 tbsp feta, crumbled or a good melting cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella, grated
1/2 avocado, slightly more hollowed out where the stone was
1 egg
a few snipped chives
S&P
1 tbsp sour cream, creme fraiche or plain yoghurt
1/2 tbsp pesto (I used my spinach pesto)
Extra spinach, rocket or salad to serve.
Method
Heat the oven to 190 C.
Cut out the stem and gills from the mushroom to hollow out, being careful not to pierce through the bottom. Set the mushroom bits aside.
Spray or brush the hollowed-out mushroom with your chosen oil. Set into an oven dish and bake for 10mns or so until softened.
Meanwhile heat your chosen oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add the shallot and gently fry for a minute or so until softened.
Add the garlic and red pepper.
Chop the mushroom bits and add to the pan. Season to taste.
Cook for 2 mins, then add the spinach and turn off the heat. Cover the pan to allow the residual heat to wilt the spinach.
Tip: If you are using kale, add it at the same time as the red pepper, as it will take longer to cook and wilt
Stir the vegetable mixture and feta through the cooked spelt. Check and adjust the seasoning.
Remove the mushroom from the oven and stuff with the spelt mix. Pat it in quite tight and build it up firmly into a dome above the rim of the mushroom.
Return the mushroom to the oven dish. Add the tomatoes alongside, spray them with a little oil and drizzle over the balsamic vinegar. Return to the oven and bake for 5 mins.
Meanwhile, break the egg into a very fine mesh sieve and let the thin egg white drain away, keeping only the yolk and the thick egg white. The fresher the egg, the more thick white you will have.
Season the avocado. Add the egg into the hollowed out avocado, season again and add it to the oven dish with the mushroom and tomatoes.
Bake until the egg is cooked to your liking, the tomatoes have slightly burst open and the spelt is warmed through, about 10 mins or so.
To serve, scatter some leaves onto a plate. Top the mushroom with a little sour cream, yoghurt or creme fraiche. Add pesto.
Place the avocado and tomatoes alongside. Scatter the avocado with a few snipped chives.
