Portabella Mushroom Steaks with Quinoa, Sautéed Vegetables and Red Pepper Jelly [Recipe] | Table Matters (2024)

Red Pepper Jelly

• canola or vegetable oil for cooking
• 1 large red bell pepper , diced fine
• 1 white onion , diced fine
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme , tied up into a bundle with a bit of twine
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water

Mushroom Steaks

• 8 portabella mushroom caps , rinsed and with the bottom gills scraped out
• 3 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme , picked
• canola oil for cooking

Quinoa and Sautéed Vegetables

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved
• 2 cloves garlic , thinly sliced
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Red Pepper Jelly

• Heat the canola or vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a saucepot. Add the peppers, onions, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. The vegetables should release some of their liquid but not be browned.

• Add the vinegar, sugar, and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until it reaches a thick, jelly-like consistency. Leave in the pot and set aside until ready to serve.

Mushroom Steaks, Quinoa and Sautéed Vegetables

• Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and picked thyme leaves in a bowl. Rub the mixture onto the mushroom caps and marinate the mushrooms for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, begin cooking the quinoa.

• Put the quinoa into a pot with the water and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft and fluffy. When it’s done cooking, lightly fluff it with a fork.

• Heat a large drizzle of canola or vegetable oil over high heat in a large sauté pan. Add the mushroom steaks and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes per side or until a dark brown crust forms, remove from heat. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and return to medium heat. You may need to work in two batches depending on the size of the pan.

• Heat the butter over medium-high heat in the same pan that you cooked the mushrooms in. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, and spinach. Cook for 4-5 minutes on medium-high heat or until the spinach has wilted and the tomatoes have started to burst. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

• Heat the pepper jelly back up. To serve: scoop about ½ cup of the cooked quinoa onto a plate, top with two mushroom caps, serve a small scoop of the spinach and tomatoes on the side of the plate and spoon about two tablespoons of the pepper jelly across the top of the mushrooms. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Substitutions

1 large red bell pepper: 1 large yellow bell pepper or 1 large orange bell pepper

½ cup apple cider vinegar: ½ cup red wine or white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar: 3 tablespoons apple cider, red wine, or white wine vinegar

8 portabella mushroom caps: 8 shiitake mushroom caps, 2 pounds baby portabella mushrooms

4 sprigs fresh thyme: ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved: 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved, 1 cup diced Roma or globe tomatoes

2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves: 1 cup frozen spinach, 2 cups chopped kale