Pine Nut Crusted Portobellas with Roast Veg & Arugula

Coming up with the recipe for Pine Nut Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Roast Veg & Arugula actually began as a vegetarian recipe. I simply adapted some ingredients to fit a more "Moo"-happy diet. So, when brother bear and I made the meatatarian version, we also threw together the veggie one and this is what came out:

Pine Nut Crusted Portobella Mushrooms with Roast Veg & Arugula

Ingredients (General):

4 Large Portobella Mushrooms, wiped clean and stems removed.
2 Bunch Small Carrots.
4 Medium Size Beets.
4 Cloves Garlic, peeled.
1 Onion, sliced.
Small Handful Sicilian Olives.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.
3 C Fresh Arugula, washed and dried.

Ingredients for Marinade:

1/4 C Green Onions, chopped.

2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds.

1/3 C Soy Sauce.

1/3 C Vegetable Oil.

1/4 C White Granulated Sugar.

2 Tsp Garlic, minced.

Ingredients for Stuffing:

1 C Soft Goats Cheese Cheese.

1 Small Bunch Fresh Basil, roughly torn.

1.5 C Pinenuts, toasted.

1/4 C Sundried Tomatoes, finely diced.

2 Lemons, for zest.

What to Do:

First, combine all the ingredients for the marinade and add the mushrooms. Toss well to coat, cover, and refrigerate to marinate for at least 3 hours, turning occasionally to ensure even marinating.

Next, prepare the stuffing. In a bowl add all the ingredients and mash to combine. Set aside.

For the veg, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Now, simply throw the carrots, beets, & garlic cloves together into a roasting pan with a few good glugs of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and cover. Roast for approx. 40 - 50 minutes or until tender but firm. Don't worry about the carrots turning a little purple from the beets - it's rustic and delicious!

Meanwhile, saute butter in a large oven-proof pan over medium heat (Again, as I've mentioned before, I love cast-iron). Add the onions, stir to coat. Turn down the heat to low and allow them to caramelize and get all gooey and brown and sweet and yummy. Once finished, set aside, wipe out the pan - you'll need it for your mushrooms.

In the last 5 minutes of your roasting veg, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in the pan and add the mushrooms. Saute for approx 4-5 minutes on each side to cook through. Remove the roast veg when you flip the mushrooms and set aside to cool. Now, fill your mushrooms cap side down with the stuffing. Place in the oven for approx 7 minutes to heat through. By the time the mushrooms are finished cooking the beets should be cool enough to handle - peel the skin off and cut into fourths.

Plating: Lay a handful of arugula on the plate, followed by 1 beet, a few carrots, and some onions. Throw on the meat and then a few olives for garnish (these will contrast the sweet/rich flavor of the crust and the veg).

Eat.