Chef Silver Canul (pictured ) of the Little River Inn in Little River, California came up with this this terrific vegetarian main course as part of the Mendocino County Wine and Mushroom Festival. The year 2000 marked the first Wine and Mushroom fest and it was a rousing success. The November event is now planned annually.

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Brush mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill or sauté mushrooms in the same manner as eggplant.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and quickly cook the shallots and garlic over high heat for about 1 minute, taking care not to let the garlic brown. Add the onion, tomatoes and peppers, reduce heat to medium ad cook for about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato juice. reduce heat and continue cooking over low heat until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the basil and butter (if desired). Allow vegetable sauce to cool before assembling dish (spread sauce on a baking sheet for faster cooling).

To assemble
Preheat oven to 375° F. Slice the cooked mushrooms at an angle. Place 4 eggplant slices on a baking sheet that has been buttered or oiled. Top each eggplant slice with a generous tablespoon of the vegetable sauce, then top with some portobello slices, a slice of mozzarella cheese, and another eggplant slice. Bake for about 8 minutes. Serve with a small amount of sauce on each plate.