Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped

2 shallots, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sun dried tomatoes (sulfite free), soaked in water

1 ounce sliced, dried shittake mushrooms, soaked in water or 1 cup fresh, cut in half

1 ounce dried wild morel mushrooms, soaked in water or 1 cup fresh, large ones cut in half

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce, no salt added

1 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (optional -with basil), no salt added, do not drain

1 medium zucchini, diced in 1/4 inch cubes

1/2 cup red cooking wine

1/2 cup vegetable broth, low sodium or water (plus more as needed)

2 teaspoons dried basil (or 1 T. fresh basil, chopped fine)

2 T. Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest

1 bay leaf

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

12 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped or 1 - 12 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, water pressed out

2 servings whole wheat spinach fettuccini, cooked (optional)

4 large portabella mushrooms

Marinade:

1/4 cup red cooking wine

1/4 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup water

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest

Preparation

Marinade Instructions: Mix all ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer 1 minute and remove from heat.

  1. In a medium sized glass bowl, soak sun dried tomatoes, dried shiitake and wild morel mushrooms in water and set aside.
  2. Prepare marinade. Clean portabella mushrooms with a moist towel or paper towel and turn caps gills side up in a glass baking dish. Spoon prepared marinade evenly over mushroom caps, set aside (marinade at least 1/2 hour).
  3. In a large skillet, water sauté on low heat onions, shallots and garlic until softened and onions are transparent, approximately 5 minutes.
  4. In a large glass mixing bowl combine tomato sauce, re-hydrated sun dried tomatoes and sliced mushrooms, un-drained petite diced tomatoes, zucchini, red cooking wine, vegetable broth or water (use the saved water from soaking the dried mushrooms and tomatoes if desired), basil, Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest, bay leaf, and black pepper. Mix well and add to skillet.
  5. Place marinated portabella mushrooms 6 inches from broiler in a pre-heated 450 degree oven. Broil for 15 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, bring wild mushroom-tomato sauce to a simmer. Add fresh chopped baby spinach (or thawed frozen spinach) to skillet; mix well, until spinach has wilted into the sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Add more water or vegetable broth as needed.
  7. Optional: Cook whole wheat and spinach fettuccini according to package directions.
  8. Plating: Remove portabella mushrooms from oven. (Optional, divide fettuccini evenly between four hot plates.) Place a portabella mushroom in the center of each hot plate, then top with wild mushroom-tomato sauce from skillet.

Cacciatore is traditionally served over fettuccini so I have included it as an option in this recipe. However, this dish is very filling and we enjoy it without the pasta as well. Enjoy!