With area gardens burgeoning with vine-ripe tomatoes and wonderfully fresh zucchini, you may wonder what to do with all of Mother Nature’s bounty. Both are equally delicious on their own, there’s no doubt. But what about combining the two in a way you’ve never considered?
With lentils, cheese, seasonings, tomatoes and zucchini stuffed inside a large portabella mushroom, you have an incredible side dish or an entree, depending on the size of the mushroom. Serve it as a vegetarian dinner or pair it with chicken or steak from the grill.
The following recipe was created by mother-daughter team Tracy and Terry Paulding. They partnered up to open a full catering kitchen in the heart of San Francisco and created this dish in order to have a “vegetarian entree that had a depth of flavor, while providing a substantial amount of protein,” Tracy Paulding says. “It’s a dish that will satisfy and nourish.”
She says one of the risks of omitting meat from your diet is the common substitution of carbs for protein. But there are foods such as beans that offer protein. And French lentils are great because they can be cooked from a dry state rather than having to soak overnight. So in almost no time they are cooked and hold their shape and texture very nicely.
“We recommend trying them if you haven’t,” she says. “And the smoked paprika gives the dish a unique flavor.”