Lamb-stuffed Portabellas

Ingredients

• 2 cups bulgur wheat 
• 5.3 cups chicken broth 
• 0.3 cup curry powder 
• 1 cup apricots dried
• 0.3 cup bread crumbs dry fine
• 0.8 cup mint leaves fresh chopped
• 1.5 pounds lamb lean
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 0.5 lb onion finely chopped
• 0.5 cup pinenuts 
• 3 cups nonfat yogurt plain
• 8  portabella mushrooms ()
• 8 servings salt 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• kitchen thermometer

Directions

1. Cut apricots in half crosswise.
2. Rinse and drain mushrooms. Trim off stems flush with caps. Finely chop stems and set caps aside.
3. In a 4- to 5-quart nonstick pan over high heat, frequently shake pine nuts until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
4. Pour into a small bowl.
5. To pan, add chopped mushrooms, oil, onion, and curry powder. Stir over high heat until mushrooms and onion are limp and juices evaporate, about 3 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and spoon half the mixture into a large bowl.
7. To mushroom mixture in the pan, add apricots, bulgur, and 5 cups broth. Bring to a boil, stir, cover, remove from heat, and let stand until bulgur is tender to bite, at least 8 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, combine reserved onion-mushroom mixture, 1/3 cup broth, lamb, and bread crumbs.
9. Mix well. Pat an equal amount of lamb mixture onto the cup side of each mushroom cap, covering evenly. Scatter 1 tablespoon pine nuts onto each meat-filled mushroom and gently press nuts into meat.
10. Divide the curried bulgur mixture equally between 2 casseroles, each 3 quarts (about 9 by 13 in. and at least 2 in. deep).
11. Lay 4 mushrooms, meat side up, in each casserole (they can overlap slightly). If making ahead, cover and chill up to 1 day.
12. Bake, covered, in a 400 oven until lamb mixture is no longer pink in center (cut to test, or if chilled, it should register 150 on a thermometer; see notes), 35 to 40 minutes (about 1 hour and 10 minutes if chilled).
13. Mix yogurt with mint. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 1 day.
14. Spoon portions onto plates and add yogurt sauce and salt to taste.