Today I have for you a Portobello Mushroom Pave’ with White Asparagus Vinaigrette for the Recipe ReDux theme for December.
This month’s theme is:
Grab a Book & Cook
“It’s the end of the year and we’ll taking a moment to reflect: ReDux has been around for 42 months! (Can you believe some of you have ReDux-ed 42 recipes?) To celebrate, we’re playing a little party game this month: Grab your nearest cookbook and ReDux the recipe on page 42 or 142. We can’t wait to see the books you’re cooking from these days – and how you make that recipe healthier.”
To be honest, I’m not a big cookbook collector and really don’t have that many cookbooks.
I gave most of mine away many years ago when I stopped eating processed foods and the S.A.D. diet (Standard American Diet).
Many of them contained white flour, refined sugars and just really bad-for-you ingredients.
The only ones I retained where a couple of “raw food” cookbooks I bought when I transitioned to a cleaner, healthier diet.
The cookbook I choose to use for this months Recipe Redux theme was one of the very first “raw food” cookbooks I ever bought called “Raw” by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein.
I think I mostly bought it for the beautiful photos because I’ve never made one single recipe from the book.
The reason?
They all look very elaborate and gourmet, but the recipes are very lengthy and very detailed.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I’m a quick and easy kind of girl and if the recipe has more than 3 or 4 steps or a long list of ingredients, I usually pass.
The original recipe I used had 6 lengthy paragraphs and a total of 22 ingredients.
But, the ingredients were clean and I enjoyed the challenge.
There really wasn’t any way to make a raw entree any healthier, although I did substitute a few ingredients, but I did shorten the preparation steps.
Here’s the enticing recipe excerpt:
“The meatiness of the marinated portobellos is enormously satisfying, but the aromatic flavor notes delivered by the jalapeno, garlic and ginger, along with the cilantro and soy sauce are what push this creation over the top. The creamy white asparagus contributes richness and acts as the perfect cohesive element. Button or cremini mushrooms would be suitable substitutes for the portobellos.” – “Raw” – by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein
So, if you like mushrooms and want a clean entree that’s raw, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly, this recipe might just be for you!
5 Fast Facts About Mushrooms:*
- excellent source of potassium
- rich source of riboflavin, niacin and selenium
- supports a healthy immune system
- provides anti-inflammatory benefits
- natural source of vitamin D
5 Fast Facts About Asparagus:*
- high in antioxidants
- contains anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties
- excellent source of folate at 66% RDA
- excellent source of vitamin K at 114% RDA
- excellent source of vitamin C at 30% RDA
5 Fast Facts About Ginger:*
- excellent for gastrointestinal relief
- anti-inflammatory benefits
- promotes immune boosting
- increases blood flow and relaxes peripheral blood vessels
- anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral
5 Fast Facts About Jalapenos:*
- excellent antioxidant
- thermogenic food
- anti-inflammatory agent
- high in vitamins A and C
- contains anti-bacterial properties
5 Fast Facts About Cilantro:*
- contains powerful anti-oxidants
- anti-inflammatory
- helps to remove toxins and heavy metals
- promotes healthy liver function
- helps to control blood sugar
5 Fast Facts About Shallots:*
- 1 cup contains 24% dv of iron
- good source of fiber
- 1 cup contains 11% potassium
- contains more antioxidants than onions
- contains 10% dv of folate
5 Fast Facts About Lemons:*
- extremely alkaline
- blood purifier
- excellent for detoxification
- balances blood sugar levels
- contains powerful anti-bacterial properties
5 Fast Facts About Sesame Seeds:*
- high in calcium at 35% RDA
- excellent anti-oxidant
- lowers cholesterol
- reduces inflammation
- high in phytosterol
5 Fast Facts About Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:*
- lowers blood cholesterol levels
- rich in anti-oxidants
- improves bone mineralization and calcification
- excellent protection from heart attack and stroke
- contains anti-inflammatory benefits
5 Fast Facts About Himalayan Pink Salt:*
- contains 84 minerals
- unrefined, unprocessed, raw
- promotes stable pH balance in cells
- controls water levels in the body
- aids digestion and facilitates better nutrient absorption
*These statements have not been evaluated by Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
NOTE: I’m listing the original recipe as it was shown in the cookbook. The tips below are what I did different and are not reflected in my recipe below.
Tip #1: I didn’t use whole portobello mushrooms but ones that were pre-cut into long thin slices. The only difference this made was in the presentation.
Tip #2: I substituted the grapeseed oil for organic extra-virgin olive oil.
Tip #3: The original recipe said to “salt and pepper to taste”. I added 1/2 teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt and felt like that was a good amount, but adjust to your preference.
Tip #4: I’m thinking the “white” asparagus was for presentation purposes, but you could probably also use regular green asparagus if you can’t find white.
Tip #5: I found the White Asparagus Vinaigrette to be a little heavy on the sesame seeds/tahini (for me). If I were to make this again, I would start with half the amount of sesame seeds and tahini and adjust it from there.
Tip #6: The original recipe lists (4) servings but there was ~a lot~ of White Asparagus Vinaigrette left over. The purpose of it in the recipe was to garnish the plate. If I were to make this again, I would probably layer mushrooms, vinaigrette, mushroom, vinaigrette, etc. to make sure you have ample between the layers of mushrooms. I’ll find a good use for the extra, like over a salad, but you could probably make 1/2 of the original recipe and be fine.
And now, here’s the recipe from famous Chef Charlie Trotter…enjoy!
Portobello Mushroom Pave’ with White Asparagus Vinaigrette (Raw, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo-Friendly)
Print recipe| Serves | 4 |
| Prep time | 4 hours |
| From book | "Raw" by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein |
Ingredients
For the pave'
- 6 portobello mushrooms (large)
- 2 1/2 cups filtered water
- 1/2 cup Nama Shoyu
- 1/4 cup ginger (fresh, peeled, finely diced)
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 jalapeno (seeded, minced)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (fresh, chopped)
- 1/4 cup shallot (minced)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
For the vinaigrette
- 2 stalks white asparagus (pencil thin, trimmed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon mint (fresh, chopped)
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds (plus 1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon shallot (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander (freshly ground)
- 1/2 cup filtered water (plus 2 tablespoons)
- Celtic Sea Salt (to taste)
- ground pepper (to taste)
Directions
| Prepare the pave | |
| Step 1 | Remove the stems and gills from the mushrooms. Discard the stems and place the gills in a bowl. Add the water and let stand while you slice the mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms on the extreme diagonal into paper-thin slices. Combine the shoyu, ginger, garlic chili, cilantro, shallot and lemon juice in a bowl. Strain the liquid from the mushroom trimmings, discarding the solids, and add the liquid to the shoyu mixture. Carefully dip each mushroom slice into the shoyu mixture and lay the slices in the bottom of a shallow container. Pour the remaining shoyu mixture over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Line a 4 x 4 x 2 inch pan with plastic wrap, allowing an overhang on 2 opposite sides. Remove the mushroom slices from the liquid and layer them in the prepared pan, overlapping the slices and continuing until you have used all the slices. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and press down gently with your hand. Top with another pan that fits inside the rim, then place a 2 pound weight on the second pan. Refrigerate the pave for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Just before serving, remove the weight and the second pan, then invert the pave' onto a cutting board and peel away the plastic wrap. Cut into 4 equal pieces, reserving any juices that drip from the pave'. |
| Prepare the vinaigrette | |
| Step 2 | Slice the white asparagus into 1/4 inch long pieces. Combine the asparagus pieces and mint in a bowl and toss to mix. In a high speed blender, combine the grapeseed oil, vinegar, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, shallot, garlic, coriander and water and process until smooth. Pass the puree' through a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Fold in the asparagus mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Measure out 8 tablespoons; reserve the remainder for another use. |
| Assembly | |
| Step 3 | Place a piece of the pave' in the center of each plate. Spoon the reserved juices from the pave' around the plate. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the asparagus vinaigrette around the plate and top with pepper. |
Note
Recipe source: "Raw" - by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein. Copyright 2003 Ten Speed Press. ISBN: 1-58008-470-2
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