Meaty 'shrooms make a very vegan pot roast

YOU DON'T have to hunt wild mushrooms to enjoy earthy dishes. In Happy Herbivore: Holidays & Gatherings (BenBella Books) Lindsay Nixon has portobellos stand in for beef in a warming dish she pairs with polenta (recipe below) or mashed potatoes.

PORTOBELLO POT ROAST

2 cups vegetable broth, divided

1 small onion, sliced thin

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

2 to 3 carrots, sliced

1 parsnip, sliced (optional)

4 portobello mushrooms, de-stemmed, cut into strips

1 cup water

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Coat a large pot with a thin layer of broth. Sauté onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add carrots and parsnip, if using, plus remaining broth.

Add portobello strips on top of carrots and veggies and pour water over top. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the mushrooms, then add herbs.

Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables and mushrooms are very tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and, if desired, add Worcestershire to taste. Serves 2.

CHEF'S NOTE: To make polenta, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in 1 cup yellow cornmeal. It will clump, so keep stirring - you want smooth!

Add nondairy milk (about 1/2 cup) as necessary to thin it out and make it creamy.