A little break from sweets: Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps with Dandelion Greens

A while back I went to the farmer’s market and ended up with a bunch of dandelion greens.  I said I would share what I did with them in a later post, so here it is: stuffed portobello mushrooms caps with dandelion greens.  This is one of my go-to recipes for dinner.  It doesn’t tale long to prepare and can be made with any greens or veggies I have in my fridge at the moment.  Sometimes, if I feel really ambitious, I top these with some homemade pesto. 

If you have never had dandelion greens, they are certainly not for the faint of heart.  The greens are quite bitter but this seems to lessen a bit once sauteed.  Bitterness aside, they are quite unique and delicious.  If you can’t find dandelion greens, or they are out of season where you live, spinach and kale work beautifully in this dish.

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps with Dandelion Greens
This recipe makes enough for 2 portions, but it can easily be multiplied.  If you own a grill, you could grill the mushroom caps instead of roasting them for a nice smokey flavor. 

2 extra large portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
1 bunch of fresh dandelion greens
1 1/2 cups of cooked brown rice
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil
sea salt
pepper
freshly grated parmesan (opt.)
pesto (opt.)
fresh herbs (opt.)

Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 375 degrees.  Remove the gills and stems from the mushrooms and then brush some olive on both sides.  Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and then roast on a lined baking sheet with the undersides facing up for about 7 to 9 minutes.  They will be done when they are softened and you see natural juices beginning to come out. 

While your mushrooms are in the oven, saute the dandelion greens in a bit of olive oil with the lemon zest and crushed red pepper flakes until just softenend.  Add in the cooked rice and then taste the mixture to adjust the seasoning.  Pile half of the rice mixture on top of each mushroom and top with grated parmesan, pesto, fresh herbs, or perhaps just some coarse sea salt.  Enjoy!