Favorite Friday

Portobello Mushroom Burgers
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

This recipe is easy to make, perfect for a weeknight, and the only cooking happens on the grill, so cleanup is quick. We'll serve it with a green salad or this one if we're feeling fancy and have fennel. The pesto we get from Central Market, from their olive bar/prepared foods area. These quantities make two burgers.  Sometimes we'll each have one, sometimes we'll split one and have more substantial sides with it.

1/4 cup prepared pesto
2 T. mayonnaise
2 rolls (we prefer ciabatta, which stands up well to the substantial mushroom)
2 portobello mushroom caps (or one if they are really large)
1 red bell pepper (or roasted red pepper pieces from a jar)
2 cups arugula
2 slices provolone cheese (we've also used fresh mozzarella in a pinch)

Mix together pesto and mayo. Add salt and pepper if needed. Cut off the stems, scrape the brown gills out of the mushrooms and brush both sides with olive oil.  Heat the grill to medium-high.  Slice the rolls and grill, cut side down, until toasted, then spread the mayo-pesto on both cut sides.  Grill the mushrooms, rounded side up, for about 4 minutes, then turn them over and continue grilling.  At the same time, if using fresh red pepper, grill red pepper halves until tender, about 5 minutes/side.

Assemble the burgers: roll bottom, red pepper, mushroom, cheese, 1 cup arugula, roll top. This is the assembly we've found to work the best, but I'm sure there are other combinations.

 

Sometimes I'll serve it with potatoes, either little baby new potatoes or sliced potatoes drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary, salt, and garlic, roasted in the oven until cooked through. These particular potatoes were coated in oil that had garlic and rosemary soaking in it, and then cooked in the skillet until tender and crispy on some sides.