If you check out my profile and discover that I'm an Ole Miss alum, I don't have to tell you I'm a bourbon fan. Every tailgate in the Grove, (some say the original site of tailgating), came with a side of bourbon. Straight up, on the rocks, with ginger ale, club soda or Coke, it didn't matter how you "took" your drink, you always had bourbon in your glass.
Fast forward, and I am still a bourbon lover. Now, I prefer to drink bourbon in a mixed drink, or a special cocktail like a mint julep. But bourbon's more than just for drinking, I love to cook with it too. With the promise of a bottle arriving in the mail, I started thinking about how to incorporate Four Roses in a "Healthy Chef Partyologist" recipe.
I quickly discarded ideas that were tried and true, I needed to give this recipe a special twist. We are heading into the holidays, so I wanted it to be yummy, versatile and healthy for both family and friends. One of my favorite ways to make a delicious side for Thanksgiving dinner uses bourbon, butter, orange juice and orange zest that I stir into a batch of creamy baked sweet potatoes.
Why couldn't I take that same idea and make it into an ancient grains pilaf. Stuff it into mushrooms as an appetizer? Scoop it onto portabellas for my veggie friends - or just pile into a big bowl and slice up a lot of roasted mushrooms as a topper. I headed into the kitchen, and the results are awesome.
You can make a double batch and munch on it all week. Make it portable by spooning it into a whole wheat pita pocket, adding some shredded kale and you have a filling lunch, full of protein and flavor!
Bourbon Sweet Potato Pecan and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms
24 Baby Bella Mushrooms, or 12 Portabella Mushrooms
3 TB Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Cups Prepared Quinoa
2 TBs Unsalted Butter
2 TBs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
1 Tsp Sea Salt and 1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cups Finely Chopped Sweet Potato
1/4 Cup Four Roses Bourbon
2 TB Water
1 Cup Roasted Chopped Pecans
2 TB Fresh Thyme Leaves
2 TB Chopped Fresh Sage
2 TB Chopped Parsley
Step One
Remove the stems and gills from the mushrooms. Don't throw them out - use them for veggie stock!
Ten Tips to Make Veg Stock on the Taste and Savor Blog, Friday January 9, 2015 (I use a melon baller to scoop out the stem and gills.)
Step Two
Put the soy sauce and oil together in a bowl large enough to hold the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in the bowl, and coat them with the mixture. Remove and place them "hole side up" on a sheet tray that has been lined with parchment or aluminum foil. Place in a 400F oven for 15 - 20 min or until they are nice and brown.
They will have released a great deal of liquid, turn them over to drain.
Step Three
While the mushrooms are roasting, melt the butter with the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the red onion and season with the salt and pepper. Over medium high heat, cook the onions until very soft, about 7-8 minutes. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook and stir for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are starting to soften and acquire a little deeper color.
Step Four
Remove the pan from the heat and add the bourbon and water. Return to the stove and cook until the potatoes are soft and the bourbon and water have evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.
Step Five
Turn off the heat and add in the quinoa, pecans, thyme and sage. Stuff into your prepared roasted mushrooms and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley. (If you are serving it as a side dish, simply mound the quinoa mixture into your bowl, slice your mushrooms and top with the mushrooms and parsley.)
Bourbon Sweet Potato Pecan and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms
24 Baby Bella Mushrooms, or 12 Portabella Mushrooms
3 TB Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Cups Prepared Quinoa
2 TBs Unsalted Butter
2 TBs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
1 Tsp Sea Salt and 1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cups Finely Chopped Sweet Potato
1/4 Cup Four Roses Bourbon
2 TB Water
1 Cup Roasted Chopped Pecans
2 TB Fresh Thyme Leaves
2 TB Chopped Fresh Sage
2 TB Chopped Parsley
Step One
Remove the stems and gills from the mushrooms. Don't throw them out - use them for veggie stock!
Ten Tips to Make Veg Stock on the Taste and Savor Blog, Friday January 9, 2015 (I use a melon baller to scoop out the stem and gills.)
Step Two
Put the soy sauce and oil together in a bowl large enough to hold the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in the bowl, and coat them with the mixture. Remove and place them "hole side up" on a sheet tray that has been lined with parchment or aluminum foil. Place in a 400F oven for 15 - 20 min or until they are nice and brown. They will have released a great deal of liquid, turn them over to drain.
Step Three
While the mushrooms are roasting, melt the butter with the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the red onion and season with the salt and pepper. Over medium high heat, cook the onions until very soft, about 7-8 minutes. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook and stir for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are starting to soften and acquire a little deeper color.
Step Four
Remove the pan from the heat and add the bourbon and water. Return to the stove and cook until the potatoes are soft and the bourbon and water have evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.
Step Five
Turn off the heat and add in the quinoa, pecans, thyme and sage. Stuff into your prepared roasted mushrooms and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley. (If you are serving it as a side dish, simply mound the quinoa mixture into your bowl, slice your mushrooms and top with the mushrooms and parsley.)
2 comments:
These look so amazing! And, I love the idea of making sandwiches with them!
This looks amazing Chef Nancy! I will definitely be trying it! Thanks for sharing!
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