You vegetarians out there will be very familiar with the meaty characteristics of portobello mushrooms.
These giants are readily available in large supermarkets, and although they’re not cheap (usually around $4-5 for two large caps), one of them makes a substantial meal.
Most recipes call for removing the stems since they tend to be woody and also the dark gills on the underside of the cap. Use a butter knife to scrape these out. They tend to bleed colour into the other ingredients in a recipe and they really don’t add much flavour other than a slight bitterness.
Marinated Grilled Portobellos
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp hot Asian chili paste, use more or less to taste
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Gently wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Scrape the gills out of the underside of the caps with a butter knife and discard. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lime juice, green onion, garlic and chili paste. Gradually whisk in the oil until the mixture is smooth.
Place the mushrooms in a plastic food bag and pour the marinade over them. Turn and massage the bag gently to ensure the marinade is covering both sides of the mushrooms. Place bag in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. When you’re ready to cook, preheat your barbecue or an indoor countertop grill until very hot. Remove the mushrooms from the bag, shaking any excess marinade into the bag (reserve marinade for later). Place the mushrooms on a plate and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Transfer mushrooms to the grill. Make sure they sizzle or the grill is not hot enough (you want them to caramelize). Grill for three to four minutes a side until mushrooms have grill marks and are tender. Remove from grill and let cool for a couple of minutes, then cut into quarter to half-inch slices and drizzle with the reserved marinade and additional chopped green onion if desired. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes four servings.
Crispy Baked Mushroom “Fries”
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
½ cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (crispy Japanese crumbs, available at most supermarkets)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Pinch of dried basil (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Marinara sauce or ranch dressing for dipping
Preheat oven to 425º F. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and scrape out gills from underside. Cut mushrooms into half-inch wide slices. Place the flour and the beaten eggs in two separate shallow bowls. Place the panko breadcrumbs in a plastic food bag. Seal the bag, then roll a rolling pin over it to crush the crumbs into a finer texture.
In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko, Parmesan, garlic powder and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the mushroom slices in the flour, then dip them one by one into the beaten eggs (let excess egg drip off) and finally into the panko mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place the coated slices on a wire rack on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes, turning slices over halfway through cooking time.
Serve the mushroom fries with a ramekin of ranch dressing or warmed marinara sauce alongside for dipping. Makes two to four servings.
Portobello Mushroom & Sausage Pizzas
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄3 cup chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 mild or hot Italian sausages, about eight ounces each, casings removed
½ cup purchased marinara sauce (or any commercial pasta sauce that you like), plus extra for topping
1 Tbsp shredded fresh basil
¾ cup grated mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375º F. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms hollow side up on a baking sheet and bake for about eight minutes, until mushrooms are almost tender.
While mushrooms are cooking, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about three minutes; add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Add the sausage meat and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon, until sausage meat is browned and cooked through. Drain any excess fat from the skillet; stir the marinara sauce and the basil into the meat mixture.
Remove mushrooms from oven and drain out any accumulated liquid from inside (use tongs to pick them up).
Divide the sausage mixture evenly among the four mushroom caps. Spoon about a tablespoon of additional marinara sauce over each one and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over top. Return mushrooms to oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately; makes four servings.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
