On a whim, I bought portobello’s at the grocery store as a co-worker mentioned them at lunch. I’d never cooked them, and since I don’t have a grill or bbq, Jason got out his George Foreman grill. Which surprisingly worked very well.
It was a really yummy burger, and something that we’ll cook again. The original recipe is from AllRecipes.
Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Ingredients:
4 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
4 (1 ounce) slices provolone cheese (I used Monterey Jack as I didn’t have provolone.)
Place the mushroom cap, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. I used a 9″ pie pan and it seemed to work perfectly.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushroom. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Brush grate with oil. Because I was using a George Foreman, I did not preheat or brush it with oil.
Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling.
We used the general five minute setting to cook it. Then put on the cheese and finish cooking. Portobello’s toughen the more they are cooked. I put red onions and spinach on mine, but any sort of lettuce green would work as would tomatoes.
Over time, if you use your Foreman grill a lot, a bit of oil will help to unstick things at the end of the cooking time. For example, zucchini and yellow squash tend to stick. I use a small bit of olive oil.
What lovely pictures as always!
The only change I would make is to use a whole wheat bun. Yummy all around, portobello mushrooms are always so tasty.
@Carole — Good to know, since we’re probably going to be using the grill to cook more veggies, not just when Jason gets a craving for meat and cooks a hotdog.
Yeah, whole wheat would be nummy. This was a potato bun, and it was more of “what’s in the fridge?” the decision.
Yummy! You said you grill 5-8 minutes per side – do you not close the Foreman grill and cook both sides at once?
Because of the shape of the portobello, I find that it doesn’t cook even on each side like a patty-shape would.