CUCINA ITALIANO RISOTTO STUFFED PORTOBELLO CAPS WITH SHRIMP AND ARTICHOKES BATHED IN SUN DRIED TOMATO CREAM SAUCE WITH ARUGULA SALAD

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Drain the jar of sun dried tomatoes through a mesh sieve over a small bowl.  Set aside. You will use the oil and tomatoes separately in several phases of this delish dish!!

Scrape most of the dark gills out of the inside of the caps and discard, creating a nice cavity to hold your risotto. Brush the tops of the caps with 4 tablespoons of the sun dried tomato oil and place them, cavity-side-down, on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 6-7 minutes until they are lightly browned and have begun to soften.  Remove from the oven and turn the caps over so the cavities are facing up.  Season the insides of the caps with ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper.  Set aside.

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Heat 2 more tablespoons of the reserved sun dried tomato oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp to the hot oil in a single layer and sear for 1 minute on the first side.  Season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the second side until they are pink and just cooked through.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add the artichokes to the same pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.  Remove and set aside with the shrimp.

Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pan drippings from the shrimp and artichokes.  Add the leeks and sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks are soft and fragrant, and the mushrooms have released their moisture.

Add the risotto to the pan and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes to lightly toast the rice.  Add ½ cup of the warm chicken stock to the pan and stir constantly until all of the liquid is absorbed.  Add another ½ cup, stirring, until all of the liquid is absorbed and continue this process until the rice is plump and has an al dente texture.  You may not need all of the stock but will use at least 3 cups.

Stir in the heavy cream, spinach, and ½ teaspoon salt.  Cook, tossing the spinach into the rice, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.  Stir in ½ cup of the parmesan cheese along with the reserved shrimp and artichokes.  Turn off the heat and add the zest and lemon juice.  Let the risotto sit for 30-40 minutes to cool and set up.  This will allow the risotto to thicken slightly and be easier to manage when stuffing the mushroom caps.

While the risotto cools, make the sauce and salad.  Heat 2 more tablespoons of the reserved sun dried tomato oil to a large sauce pan over medium high heat.  Add the flour and stir until bubbly.  Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of heavy cream to the pan along with the drained julienned sun dried tomatoes, reserving ¼ cup for the salad.  Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.  Add ¼ cup of the grated parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.  Stir to combine.  Set aside and keep warm until ready to plate.

To make the salad, combine the arugula, remaining ¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl and toss to combine.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (if not still heated).

Stuff the mushroom caps with the risotto, evenly distributing it between the caps.  Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and lightly browned on top.

Serve the caps topped with that luscious sun dried tomato cream sauce and then with about ½ cup of the arugula salad.  DEVOUR!!!

Serves 6-8