Cheese, I need cheese!

So today was going to be the day I finally tried the amazing sounding cheese plate at Cochonnet.  We have been there so many times, really love it - the Mediterranean pizza is superb as is the Caesar salad, or on a nice sunny day, enjoy your meal in their outside terrace around the back.  We have surprisingly never tried the cheese plate though.  Reason being that it is listed on the dessert board, rather than on the menu, and by the time we realise we are already stuffed!  But this time I had remembered and I was ready.  You can imagine the disappointment then when I was told that as the chefs were having a break (OK, so it was 4pm), they were only serving pizza.  So no cheese plate for me today.  Do they really need a chef to place a few pieces of cheese on a plate. Really?!?  And who was cooking the pizzas?

Anyway, in my disappointed state I sipped some wine and contemplated what to do.  Then I had a brain storm - wasn't there a deli a few shops away?  Would I be saved?  I ran over (because it was raining) and I was greeted with an extensive selection of pastas, salads, meat and yes, of course, cheese!  Most of the cheeses in there were Italian.  Now, I used to think that French cheeses were the best and nothing else came close. But I obviously had not really explored Italian cheeses.

Often when you think of Italian cheese you think of mozzarella and parmesan. But there are so many more!! Pecorino, cambenzola, ricotta, taleggio, provolone, fontina, toma - the list goes on and on! But my personal favorite has to be Gorgonzola. So sweet and smooth, nutty and strong - perfect on bread, pasta, pizza, risotto or simply on it's own. I'm drooling just thinking about it.  So with a chunk of Gorgonzola, a few slices of mortadella and a smile on my face, off home I went. Here is what I ate:

Stuffed portobello mushrooms
Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course

4 large portobello mushrooms (try and get them as concave as possible so that they hold the filling better)
Gorgonzola cheese
Soft cheese such as ricotta or cream cheese
Garlic powder
Other optional fillings: tomatoes, ham, spinach, onions, asparagus, peppers - anything you want really Breadcrumbs

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees 

2.  Remove the stalks of the mushrooms and finely chop any fillings

3.  Mix together the Gorgonzola, soft cheese, garlic powder and fillings

4.  Season the mushroom well with salt and pepper before spooning the mixture into the middle of the mushroom.  Leave some space around the edge of the mushroom as the mixture will melt and if possible you want it to not overflow.

5.  Put it in the oven for 15 minutes

6.  Take out of the oven and sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top

7.  Place under a hot grill for a few minutes or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown

8.  Serve over salad or with a side of vegetables as a main course.  Or simply, with a side of Mortadella, as I did!