Seared Portobello Mushroom Steak with Creamy Mashed Beans

By posting this recipe I am entering in a contest sponsored by the The Mushroom Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I wish I could remember my mom's reaction that day in middle school when I proudly announced I was a vegetarian. I'm fairly sure a few four letter words came to mind, but her outward response was probably pretty muted. 

My dad on the other hand, now, I clearly remember the look of panic in his eyes. Afterall, this is the same man who once proclaimed the five basic food groups to be beef, chicken, pork, lamb and veal. Luckily for him, living a few states away, he only had to deal with my "alternative lifestyle" once a month.

Pretty early on, he learned portobello mushrooms are an easy meat substitute. Therefore 99.9% of the meatless meals he prepared included a portobello mushroom. Portobello mushrooms in pasta, grilled portobello mushroom caps, portobello mushroom kebabs...you get the point. Now that my dad is (slowly) moving towards a more plant based diet, it always makes me smile to hear his meatless meals of choice still seem to always include portobellos.

My dad was on to something. Portobellos, and really mushrooms in general, are still one of my favorite ways to make a meatless or less-meat meal. With their meaty texture and flavor, it's easy to create a vegetarian meal with one simple substitution. There's also the "blendability" technique, where half the ground meat in a recipe is substituted for chopped mushrooms, allowing you to easily stretch a small portion of meat. The MVP award in our mostly vegetarian kitchen easily goes to mushrooms! 

Furthermore, mushrooms are a nutrition powerhouse. Technically a fungus rather than a vegetable, mushrooms contain unique nutrients rarely found in other foods. Mushrooms contain a type of beta-glucan known to stimulate the immune system. They also contain large amounts of ergothioneine, an amino acid with antioxidant properties. Mushrooms are one of the few plant-based sources of conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid which may reduce the risk of hormone related cancers. Mushrooms are also a rich source of copper, selenium, B vitamins and zinc and have been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

I created this recipe as a play on meat and potatoes. It evokes the same flavor and texture, but without meat or potatoes! A simple marinade of garlic and herbs infuses the mushroom with steakhouse flavors and creates a light crust when seared. With their starchy texture, lima beans make for an ultra-creamy mash. Personally, I prefer mashed beans over potatoes. They've got much more flavor and texture. Even the red wine reduction is reminiscent of a fancy steak sauce. I think this recipe will please even the most carnivorous folks!

If you love mushrooms as much as I do, maybe you'll want to share your favorite mushroom recipe for a chance to win $5000? The Mushroom Council is running the Swap it or Top it Contest  so share your favorite meatless or less-meat recipes for a chance to win!

And don't forget to enter in my giveaway to win a sample of ENERGYbits - the real food supplement made with 100% spirulina! There's just three more days!

Lastly (sorry, lots of news today!), I FINALLY created a facebook page for Avocado! After blogging for over a year and officially becoming a real business, I suppose it's about time! Like my page for regular updates on the blog and news of any upcoming classes and events!

Seared Portobello Mushroom Steaks with Creamy Mashed Beans

Serves 4

Mushrooms:

4 portabello mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup red wine

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Beans:

1 cup dry lima beans

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup organic, full fat plain yogurt or creme fraiche

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Soak lima beans in a large bowl of water 12 hours or overnight. Drain and place in a pot with four cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, adding more water as needed, for 1 hour or until tender. When soft, drain beans and set aside.

While beans are cooking, prepare the portabello mushrooms. With a spoon, scrape away the gills and wipe clean with a damp paper towel. Mix minced garlic, thyme and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl. Rub mixture over the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and set aside to marinade for at least 15 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add mushrooms, stem side up, and sear about 10 minutes, until some of the liquid has released and the caps are mostly tender. Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside on a cutting board. Add red wine and soy sauce to the hot pan, scraping up the bits on the bottom, and bring to a boil. Cook 7-10 minutes until thickened and reduced by half. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. 

While the mushrooms are cooking, prepare the mashed beans. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium pot on medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add beans and white wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are warmed through. Turn off heat, add yogurt, parsley, salt and pepper and lightly mash into a chunky puree.

Thickly slice the mushrooms. Divide the mash between four plates. Serve mushrooms over mashed beans and drizzle with red wine reduction. 

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