There are days, even meatless days, when the craving for a burger takes over. Portobello mushrooms are the perfect replacement for a beef patty along with custom toppings (raw or sautéed onions, avocado, fresh tomatoes, fresh greens, cheese) on a toasted bun. The mushrooms are great on the grill, but we find oven roasting the best method to keep the mushrooms tender and juicy.
Oven roasting, at a high temp, is also a great method for making "fries" with russet or sweet potatoes. Simply toss the potatoes in olive oil with salt, pepper and chopped fresh rosemary. We like to add a dish of roasted asparagus (or other green vegetables), drizzled with balsamic vinegar while hot out of the oven. Roasting vegetables brings out their natural sweetness. (hint, hint- parents trying to get kids to eat more veggies)
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Portobello Burger with Sautéed Onion and Gorgonzola-serves 4
The Gorgonzola adds a richness and creaminess to this mushroom "burger". Its enough of a condiment for our taste-but go ahead and add your favorite mayo or mustard. A spread of ½ mayo and ½ Dijon mustard mixed together works well too.
Ingredients:
4 large Portobello mushrooms
4 Tablespoons Gorgonzola, crumbled
2 large onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 handfuls of mixed baby greens
4 whole -wheat buns, toasted
Marinade for mushrooms:
4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lite soy sauce
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix balsamic vinegar and soy sauce together. Add chopped garlic and stir to combine. Whisk mixture while slowly drizzling olive oil into bowl.
2. Pour ½ of the marinade in a baking dish large enough to hold mushrooms.
3. Clean the mushrooms. Remove stem-give a twist and pull from base of mushroom. With a spoon, gently scoop out gills.
4. With your hand or a pastry brush, coat the mushroom with remaining marinade. Place mushrooms, top- side down, in a baking dish. Marinate at least 30 minutes or place covered in refrigerator and marinate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 425 F.
6. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the pan. When oil is hot (not smoking) add the sliced onions. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté, stirring often, until onions are soft and translucent. Set aside.
7.Place uncovered baking dish in oven and roast mushrooms for 4 minutes, turn mushrooms over (top side up) and continue to roast until tender. (about 4-6 minutes)
8. Place mushroom, top side down, on the bottom of toasted bun. Top with sautéed onion, mixed baby greens, and 1 Tablespoon of Gorgonzola.
Oven Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potato "Fries"-serves 4
Yams, sweet potatoes, Yukon gold or russet potatoes- all make tasty oven "fries". Prepare the potatoes and get them started while prepping the mushrooms and asparagus. Add the mushrooms and asparagus to the oven during the last 15 minutes of roasting time so the dishes are timed to finish together.
Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
4 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Peel the potatoes. (organic white potatoes: scrub and leave skin on) Cut the potatoes in half, lengthwise. Place cut side down on cutting board, and slice each half, length wise, into sixths.
4. In a medium bowl, toss the potato slices with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss again.
5. Place the potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary.
7. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. With a metal spatula, turn slices over. Continue to roast another 15-30 minutes until brown and slightly crisp.
Roasted Asparagus-serves 4
Depending on the season and the crop, asparagus stalks are thin or thick. One is not superior over the other in taste. Pay attention to cooking time based on the thickness of the stalks. Roasting asparagus and drizzling with high quality aged balsamic vinegar made a veggie eater out of one young man we know.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch fresh asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Aged balsamic vinegar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Spread asparagus in a single layer on a baking tray or in a baking pan.
3. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Place in preheated oven. Roast 10-15 minutes, until color is bright green and the tips are slightly brown and shriveled.
5. Remove pan from oven. In a zigzag motion, lightly drizzle asparagus with aged balsamic vinegar.
