Recipe: Baked Potatoes with Balsamic Caramelized Onion and Mushrooms

Oh, my dear time-suck that is Pinterest.  Sometimes…just sometimes…I stumble across some of the best recipes that have ever happened to me.  Sometimes…they are elaborate and something I could never, reasonably, undertake.  Especially in my kitchen…with my limited space and limited cooking appliances.  However, there are times that I find something so incredible…that I know I have to make it that very week.  Even better when I just happen to have all the ingredients on hand.

That is what happened when I stumbled across a very broad recipe pin for 23 Amazing Ways to Eat a Baked Potato for Dinner.  I scoured the list.  And this one…this very recipe was the one that stood out to me the most.  It sounded…awesome.  Mouthwatering.  Amazing.  So, yesterday…after a a 10K race, some grocery shopping, and an ongoing battle with bronchitis…I decided this was going to be dinner.

It was super easy to make…and super delicious.  I am going to make this again and again and again.  Because I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy a baked potato.

The original recipe comes from Katie Goodman on Makezine.  I changed out her choice of Gorgonzola cheese for Daiya vegan mozzarella shreds.  But, I bow down to her palate…because this was fantastic.

Recipe: Baked Potatoes with Balsamic Caramelized Onion and Mushrooms

Servings: 4
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Cook 1 hour

• 4 large baking potatoes, baked according to your preference (I coated with olive oil and sea salt and baked for an hour)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, yellow or red
• 1 clove garlic
• 16 oz crimini mushrooms
• 8 oz red wine
• 3 oz balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp fresh parsley, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Daiya mozzarella shreds
• Chives, sliced for garnish

Directions:

Wash and pat dry the baked potatoes.  Lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.  Place in an oven at 425°F for about an hour.

While the potatoes are baking, clean the mushrooms and remove the stems.  Slice the mushrooms thinly, about 1/4 of an inch thick.

Cut the onion in half from end to end. Remove the skin and discard.  Cut the onion into slices.

Combine the red wine, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch.  Whisk to mix well and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering.  Add the onion slices to the pan, tossing to coat with oil on all sides.

Evenly spread the onions out in the pan and continue to cook, stirring just occasionally for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Grate one clove of garlic over a microplane grater and add to the pan. Stir in the mushrooms and sauté until tender and golden.

Add the red wine and vinegar mixture to the pan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until thick and syrupy.  Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove potatoes from the oven.  Turn on the broiler.

Slice each potato open and fill with the mushroom mixture.  Top with sliced chives and mozzarella cheese crumbles.

Place potatoes under the broiler for about a minute, just enough to let the cheese melt.

Serve and enjoy!

~*~*~

I loved how full of flavor these were.  The potatoes were a nice starchy base for this sweet and savory mushrooms and onions, and the syrup that they cooked in.  The cheese gives it a nice additional flavor which all rounds out to form the most epic baked potato ever.

Seriously.  If you love caramelized onions, mushrooms, and potatoes…then this recipe is definitely for you.