Portobello mushrooms are one of the most versatile, hearty, and prized ingredients in Italian cooking. When I see large, meaty portobellos at the grocery store, I immediately think of all the ways my mother prepared them, and one of my favorites was grilled and stuffed with sausage, Gorgonzola, and fresh herbs. Serve the mushrooms as a side dish or as a meal in itself. Either way, you’ll be surprised at how quickly they disappear.

　　

Ingredients

6 servings

　　1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

　　12 ounces turkey sausage, casings removed

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

　　2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

　　2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

　　3/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs

　　1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　6 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed

　　

Step 1

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the mascarpone cheese, thyme, oregano, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the Gorgonzola cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

　　

Step 2

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

　　

Step 3

Brush the mushrooms on both sides with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill them, stem side down, for 3 minutes. Turn them over and grill the other sides for 2 minutes, or until tender.

　　

Step 4

Fill the mushrooms with the sausage mixture and top with the remaining 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese. Grill them, stuffing side up, until the stuffing is warmed through, 5 to 7 minutes.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.