Portobello "Cheese Steaks"

Portobello "Cheese Steaks"

Let me begin by saying this is not my recipe.  It's from Good Housekeeping Favorite Recipes: Vegetarian Meals, 2006.  As will be many of the recipes I post here as this is the only cook book I currently own.  I will, however, be trying some new stuff, too, as well as offering my own take on some of the book's items so don't be discouraged by my copy-paste style of sharing this particular one.  

The Portobello "Cheese Steak" has officially become one of my all-time favorite sandwiches!  I LOVE cooking with portobello mushrooms in the place of meat.  The simplest way I've used them is in place of a hamburger patty for "cheeseburgers."  Sooooo good.

Portobello "Cheese Steaks"
(makes 4 servings - though I find the servings very large, the picture above is half the recipe)

2 medium portobello mushrooms, stems removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow peppers, thinly sliced
1 jumbo sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 (7-inch) pocketless pitas (they don't seem to sell these in MT....conundrum)
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Brush both sides of mushrooms using 1 tablespoon oil.  Add mushrooms to skillet and cook until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes on each side.  Transfer mushrooms to cutting board and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside.
2. In same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until hot. Add yellow peppers, onion, salt, black pepper, and water; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar*; remove skillet from heat.  Gently stir in sliced portobellos.
3. Meanwhile, place pitas on large cookie sheet; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Heat pitas until cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
4. Roll each pita into a cone; tightly wrap bottom half of each with kitchen parchment or foil to help hold its shape and prevent leakage.  Fill pita cones with warm mushroom mixture.

*Vinegar - I made a mistake the first time I did the recipe and put the vinegar in with everything else at the beginning.  It was DELICIOUS!  Good mistake!  The vinegar flavor cooked into the veggies - wow!

You will notice in the picture that I also altered the last step.  Again, I can't seem to find pocketless pitas in this state.  But, I can assure you, they are just as tasty in a pocketed pita.