I make a lot of things with ground turkey. It's cheap, reasonably nutritious, and easy to turn into a myriad of dishes--like stuffed portobello mushrooms. Large portobellos can be pricey, but I found some on special at a Lidl and didn't want to grill them, which I think was what Lidl had in mind when they put the mushrooms on sale. Instead, I decided the mushrooms needed a ground turkey stuffing. Because the mushrooms are "meaty" on their own, I used only about half a pound of ground turkey in the stuffing and kept the stuffing mild so as not to overpower the taste of the mushrooms. I did top the stuffed mushrooms with barbecue sauce, which I like on meatloaves and stuffed peppers. If you'd prefer a milder, gentler stuffed mushroom, leave the barbecue sauce off and sprinkle the tops of the stuffed mushrooms with a little Parmesan cheese before baking them.
Ground Turkey Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms -- Serves 2+
2 large portobello mushrooms washed and dried
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup of chopped celery
8-10 ounces of ground turkey (93 percent lean)
2-3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1-2 slices of stale bread, crumbled (about a cup)
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons of milk, if necessary
2 tablespoons of bread crumbs (optional)
1/4 cup of barbecue sauce (optional)
1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place the mushrooms on the cooking sheet and spritz them with the cooking spray or a bit of olive oil. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the onion and celery and microwave them for about a minute or until they soften slightly. Add the ground turkey, parsley, garlic powder, lemon pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, egg, bread crumbs, and grated Parmesan cheese and mix everything well. If the mixture seems dry, add the milk, a little at a time. Divide the stuffing mixture between the two mushroom caps, covering the caps and mounding the stuffing a little if necessary. If you'd like, dust the tops of the stuffing with more bread crumbs and then pour on the barbecue sauce or top the stuffing with the shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake the stuffed mushrooms for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through and the stuffing is a little crispy on the edges.
