Awesome "Philly Steak and Cheese" Sandwich.....Without Any Steak!!!

I love Philly Steak and Cheese sandwiches!  I've even had them from little "hole in the wall" deli's in Philly!  Just wonderful!  But, I'm pretty much away from red meat anymore and I'm always looking for alternatives.  One alternative to "meat" I've found that is absolutely excellent is Portobello Mushrooms.  I'm starting to play with them in different menus and I am impressed!  The experiment for this afternoon was to make a Philly Steak and Cheese sandwich, using Portobello's in place of the beef.  For me, this sandwich rated a 5 Star rating!  I'm really impressed and they go into my regular file of recipes.  These sandwiches will be a "regular" around here.  So, let's get making a Philly Steak and Cheese sandwich!

INGREDIENTS
Portobello Mushroom (enough for one sandwich)
1 Deli Style Sandwich Roll
1/2 Medium White Onion
1/2 Small Red Bell Pepper
1/4 cup Vegetable Broth
4 Thin Slices Provolone Cheese
2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil

PREPARATION
Slice the Portobello Mushroom about 1/4 of an inch thick.  If you prefer, you may remove the black "gills" from the underside of the mushroom, but it's not necessary to do.  Cut the Red Bell Pepper into long thin slices.  About 1/4th inch wide strips.  Slice the onion into thin slices and separate the rings.  Set your Deli Sandwich roll, open face, onto a broiler tray or baking sheet.  Have your broiler on and ready to quickly broil the bun, once your sandwich ingredients are ready.

Put 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil into a skillet. (I love cast iron skillets and use them.)  Heat the skillet on medium heat on the range top.  Add the onion and stir frequently until it's soft and transparent.  About 2 2 to 3 minutes.  Now add mushrooms, bell pepper and Oregano to the skillet and continue to stir and cook.  Continue until all the vegetables are soft.  This takes about 7 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low on the skillet.  Sprinkle flour over the veggies and stir to coat them well.  Now, pour your Vegetable Broth and Soy Sauce into the veggie mix and stir.  Increase the heat to bring the mix to a simmer.  Once the veggies are simmering, turn off the range heat and remove the skillet from the heat.

Place your thin sliced Provolone cheese on top of the veggies and cover the skillet.  Allow time for the cheese to melt over the top of the veggies.  While waiting, this is a good time to toast the Deli Rolls under the broiler.  Just long enough to toast them.  Don't cremate them!

Place a toasted Deli Roll on a plate and using 2 spatulas, remove your veggie and cheese mix from the skillet, placing it on one side of the Deli Roll.  Close the Deli Roll and serve!!!

When you bite into this sandwich, it has all the "cheesy gooey goodness" of any Philly Steak and Cheese sandwich!!  The Portobello mushrooms convince your brain and taste buds that you're enjoying a real "steak" sandwich!  It will satisfy your hunger for "grease," as well...although it's not greasy...only the two teaspoons of olive oil used to cook the vegetables.  I can't come up with enough good words to describe how delicious this sandwich really is!  Usually, I have a difficult time eating a full portion of anything, thanks to this neurological condition I have and the difficulty with chewing and swallowing.  But I ate this entire sandwich....it was sooooo good!!!  I'm stuffed!

If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com  And, consider subscribing to my Recipe Blog, as there will be lots more great recipes added soon!