Vegetarian Mushroom Stew in Bread Bowls

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place the dried porcini mushrooms into a small bowl and pour in the boiling water. Let it stand until mushrooms are softened, about 10 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, slice the tops off the rolls. Using your fingers, carefully pull out enough bread to create a bowl like indention into the center of each. Using 1 tablespoon of oil, brush the insides of the bread bowl and the undersides of the tops. Place the bread bowls and tops (oil side up) on a baking sheet and bake until light gold and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a large skillet. Using medium heat, sauté the scallions for a minute, then add the diced garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Add in the white, shiitake and baby portabella mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.

Scoop the soaked porcini mushrooms out of the liquid and drain them on paper towels. Coarsely chop the porcini. Strain the porcini liquid through a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and add the strained liquid into the pan, along with the chopped porcini.

Increase the heat to high and cook 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, all but 2 tablespoons of the broth, basil, salt and pepper and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. While it’s boiling, combine the cornstarch with the remaining 2 tablespoons of broth in a small bowl then add it into the mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring until slightly thickened, for about 1 minute. Stir in parsley.

Spoon the stew into the bread bowls, sprinkle with shaved cheese and replace bread tops. Serve.

NOTE: Sizes of mushroom packages may vary. Use whatever you can find that is closest to the amounts used.