Green Eats — Portabella Mushroom Stack

A great way to help the environment and revitalize your own vigour is to diversify your recipe box with some meat-free dishes

By Jessica Ford | March 16, 2010

Vegetarian food doesn’t have to consist of unpronounceable meat substitutes and bunny chow. The modern take is to find protein and iron in accessible foods. While you’re at it, try including local, organic produce and sustainably raised animal proteins into the mix. We asked four restaurants from carnivorous coast to carnivorous coast to give your vegetarian reformation a kick-start or add a few exceptional dishes to your healthy leafy green repertoire.

The Coup, 924 17 Ave. SW, Calgary, thecoup.ca

The Coup is one half of the vegetarian and vegan restaurant and lounge The Coup + Meet. This downtown retreat in the middle of beef central is an environmentally friendly (sustainable) power house. They use local and organic food, rennet-free cheese, compost into their own garden, donate a percentage of their income back into the community, plant 38 trees a month as a waste offset and use 100% solar power. Holy cow — I mean, holy kale. This entrée uses the vegetarian-beloved portabella mushroom stacked underneath a nutty mound of quinoa, which is packed with protein.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1	small eggplant
1	whole roasted garlic bulb
¾	cup cooked quinoa
40 ml	balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp	olive oil (for step 3)
5 tbsp	raw tahini
½ tsp	salt
2 cup	mesclun mix
4	portabella mushrooms, even in size
2 tsp	olive oil (for step 5)
1	medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1½ cup	spinach or chard, chopped
1	large tomato, diced
½	package sprouts
1 cup	tahini lemon dressing (see below)
¼ cup	hemp oil
4	lemon wedges or rounds
4	mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

1.	Broil eggplant for approx. 30 minutes, or until a fork can puncture with ease. Flip eggplant at ½ time.
2.	Let eggplant cool in a colander and peel off skin.
3.	In a medium bowl, mix eggplant with garlic, quinoa, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, tahini and salt.
4.	Place spring mix evenly on 4 plates and set aside.
5.	In 2 separate pans, but simultaneously, pan sear the portabella mushroom with olive oil, and sauté the shallots and greens.
6.	Place a cooked mushroom on each plate, on top of the greens.
7.	Find a round plastic container around the size of the portabella mushroom or smaller, and 3½-4 inches in height. A metal cylinder will also work. Cut the bottom off of the container. Place container on top of mushroom, and pack ¼ full with sautéed greens, ½ full with quinoa-eggplant mix, ¼ full with tomatoes and overflow top with sprouts. Pack down prior to pulling container off carefully and slowly.
8.	Drizzle spring mix and plate with tahini dressing and hemp oil.
9.	Place mint on top of sprouts and lemon on the side.

TAHINI LEMON DRESSING (makes 1 litre)

¼ cup	raw tahini
¾ cup	fresh lemon/lime juice
½ cup	olive oil
¹⁄₃cup	water
1 tbsp	minced garlic
¼ cup	nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tbsp	sea salt
1 tbsp	cracked black pepper

1.	Food process all ingredients until smooth.
2.	Salt to taste; set aside.

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