The large portobello mushroom makes a natural saucerlike container for tasty fillings. For modest appetites, one amply stuffed big mushroom will make a satisfying lunch or supper dish, but if you’re really hungry, make two.

Ingredients

　　2 tablespoons butter

　　1 garlic clove, peeled and slivered

　　Salt and freshly ground pepper

　　Herbs: 1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, chives, tarragon leaves, or sage if available

　　Meat accent: 1 tablespoon ormore of crumbled cooked sausage, chopped ham, crumbled cooked bacon, or shredded prosciutto

　　Olive oil

　　1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

　　Cut the stem from the mushroom, and trim off any tough part. Wipe off dirt with a damp towel, and chop the stem into small dice. Melt the butter in a small skillet, and sauté the garlic and diced mushroom stem gently for about 5 minutes, to soften. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the herbs and meat. Rub a little olive oil all over the mushroom cap, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the stuffing into the saucerlike gill side of the mushroom, tucking it in all around and mounding it in the center. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. Place on a shallow baking dish in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes, at which point the top should be browned and crispy.

　　The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones. Copyright © 2009 by Judith Jones. Published by Knopf. All Rights Reserved.Judith Jones is senior editor and vice president at Alfred A. Knopf. She is the author of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food and the coauthor with Evan Jones (her late husband) of three books: The Book of Bread; Knead It, Punch It, Bake It!; and The Book of New New England Cookery. She also collaborated with Angus Cameron on The L. L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook, and has contributed to Vogue, Saveur, and Gourmet magazines. In 2006, she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in New York City and Vermont.