Description
A vegetarian burger - portobello caps marinated in balsamic vinaigrette, grilled gill side up to hold in their juices, and topped with melted pepper jack and grilled red onion.
Ingredients
Mushrooms and Onions
- 8 large portobello mushroom caps (a little larger than your buns)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 8 slices red onion, 1/4 inch thick
- 8 slices pepper jack cheese
Balsamic Vinaigrette Marinade
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
To Serve
- 8 whole grain hamburger buns
- Whole grain or dijon mustard
- Lettuce leaves
- Tomato slices
- Pickles
Instructions
- Prep the mushrooms and onions: Wipe any dirt off the mushroom caps with a damp towel, and pull off the stems. Put the caps in a large baking dish, gill side up, and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Sprinkle the onion slices with salt too. Whisk the marinade ingredients together, and pour evenly over the mushroom caps.
- Prepare the grill: Set up your grill for direct medium heat. On a gas grill, preheat with all burners on high for 10 minutes, then turn them down to medium.
- Grill: Put the mushrooms on the grill top side down (gill side up), along with the onion slices. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Move the onions to a plate, and rotate the mushrooms 90 degrees - don't flip them, or you'll lose the juices. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the juices in the mushrooms are bubbling and the caps start to wilt. Top each mushroom with a slice of pepper jack and a grilled onion slice, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the cheese melts. While the cheese melts, toast the buns cut side down on the grill for 30 seconds to 2 minutes - watch them closely.
- Serve: Spread mustard on the bottom buns, and top with the mushrooms, keeping them gill side up. Serve with lettuce, tomato and pickles on the side.
Notes
Equipment: A grill (I use a Weber Summit 650) and a large baking dish.
The secret is to cook the mushrooms entirely gill side up. If you flip them, all the juices pour into the grill. If the bottoms start to burn, move them to indirect heat (over an unlit burner) and cook with the lid closed.
Try my homemade pickles on top.
Cheese: Use your favorite. Sharp cheddar melts well, or spread goat cheese on the top bun instead of melting cheese on the mushroom.
Vinaigrette: Use any oil and vinegar vinaigrette you like - my lemon herb dressing is great. Skip creamy dressings, which may curdle on the grill.
Toppings: Go nuts - avocado, roasted red or poblano peppers, pickled onions, barbecue sauce...
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes