The texture and flavor of this Italian-influenced dish will please even diehard meat eaters.
Sauté minced garlic in 2 oz balsamic vinegar until translucent.
Add plum tomatoes, crushing them as they slowly cook. (If plum
tomatoes are not available, use small firm ripe tomatoes or a ready
made tomato sauce.) Add capers, portabella mushrooms. Cook at low heat
until portobellos are tender. Just before serving, add salt & pepper to
taste.
Toss with penne pasta, while tossing gradually add remaining balsamic
vinegar, testing until preferred taste is reached.
Sprinkle with soy parmesan cheese.
4 servings, each 253 calories: 8% from fat (2.17 g), 77% from carbohydrates (50.2 g), 15% from protein (9.8 g). Sodium 204 mg, Fiber 1.3 g.
This dish is designed to be used with Portabella mushrooms, a larger,
hardier relative of the White (common) and Crimini mushrooms.
They can be found up to 6 inches in diameter. Portabellas (sometimes
labeled "Portobello") have a longer growing cycle than Whites and
Criminis, resulting in a deep, meat-like texture and flavor.
Portabellas have a shelf life of 7 to 10 days if kept refrigerated in a
paper bag. Although their price per pound is high, they are not
expensive, considering the amount of mushroom for weight.
For a special treat, put a whole portabella mushroom in your favorite
marinade, or just sprinkle with your favorite seasonings, and grill
until done. This can be served as a "filet" with a fat-free gravy or
sauce, or placed in a whole-wheat hamburger bun will all the trimmings
for a gourmet deli sandwich.
A caper is a small berry that grows in the Mediterranean area.
They are fat free and are usually pickled in brine. Most large
supermarkets stock capers in small jars in the pickle section.
©2000 Dr. Neal Pinckney | Healing Heart
Foundation www.kumu.org |