Portobello and Potato Skewers

Tired of the same old appetizers for your get-togethers? This recipe for Roasted Portobello and Potato Skewers is guaranteed to delight both veg and non-veg guests.

For the Portobello
 ½ cup olive oil
 ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
 ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
 3 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
 2 tbsp gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
 3 garlic cloves, minced
 6 large, fresh portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
For the Sauce
 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water over night or for several hours
 ½ cup water
 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
 ½ tsp salt
 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
 1 tsp Dijon mustard
 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 Freshly ground black pepper
 Small handful of chives, chopped, for garnish
 1 lb fingerling potatoes
 Metal or wooden skewers

1

To marinate the mushroom strips, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, tamari, rosemary and garlic in an airtight plastic bag.  Shake to mix. Add mushroom strips and seal bag. Gently shake bag to coat mushroom. Let sit for minimum of an hour on the counter or refrigerate overnight.

To make the sauce, drain and rinse the cashews and place in a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend on high speed until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.  Add more water, by the tablespoon if necessary to that mixture can get perfectly creamy, with no texture from the nuts. Taste and adjust lemon juice, vinegar or salt. Can be made a day in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator.

To roast the portobello strips, preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Drain mushrooms. Discard marinade. Place mushrooms in a single layer on baking tray and roast for 15 minutes until moisture is bubbling and mushrooms appear to be drying out a bit.

To make the potatoes, partially boil potatoes first, by placing them in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Potatoes should be soft enough to be pierce with a sharp knife or toothpick, but still be slightly firm. Remove from heat, drain on a clean dishtowel. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place potatoes on tray in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Roast in the oven at 400ºF for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once after about 8 minutes. Potatoes are done when they can be easily cut in half and when the skins are nicely browned.

To assemble the skewers, slide one potato part-way down on a skewer. Take a mushroom slice, fold into an s-shape and pierce with skewer. Set skewers aside and repeat until you run out of ingredients. Arrange skewers on a serving tray serve with sauce. Garnish with chives.