My Prefect Greek vegetarian Mushroom-Chestnut “stuffing” for Thanksgiving & Christmas

We all know the problem when it comes to big celebration gatherings on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We spend hours for the perfect turkey and the most delicious stuffing, when… a friend, a relative or two declared they have gone vegetarian or vegan. Need pushes us to seek for creative solutions, a special dish, main course for our vegan-vegetarian guests.

Below is the recipe for a special dish “Mushrooms with chestnuts and pine nuts” created once out of the need to satisfy my guests who otherwise would have to take limited pleasure with salads and side dishes at a table full of non-vegetarian delicacies.

Recipe is for two – double for four …

Mushrooms with Chestnuts and Pine Nuts

Ingredients
400gr mushrooms (portobello or other kind or mix )
1 onion chopped
1 garlic glove chopped
25gr pine nuts
100gr chestnuts boiled, skinned and halved
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon Marsala wine or 3 tbs white wine
1 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dry)
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt, ground black pepper
100ml liquid cream [for the Vegan option, I suppose you can use almond or soja cream or no cream at all]

Instructions
Clean the mushrooms and cut them into thick slices
Roast the pine nuts in a non-stick pan for one minute
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan
Add the mushrooms and let them stir-fry for 5-6 minutes
Add onion and garlic and stir
When slightly golden, add: chestnuts, pine nuts, thyme, parsley, salt & pepper.
Stir and let all ingredients cook for 5 minutes.
Add the Marsala or the white wine and let it evaporate.
Finally add the cream, blend it with all ingredients.
Cook for 1-2 minutes, until sauce slightly thickened.

Remove from heat.
Sprinkle with some chopped fresh parsley.
Serve warm.

You can also serve as side dish when you have no time for the traditional stuffing.

PS you know that we do not wash mushrooms but we just clean them with kitchen paper, don’t you?