Nothing reminds me of Fall more than mushrooms: Wood Ears, Chanterelles, Criminis, Enoki, Hedgehog, Oyster, Maitaki, or Hen of the Woods. All of these, and the more wild varieties, can make me salivate. Mushrooms, when cooked properly, evoke an earthy sense, a delectable reminder of the forest, and being told as a child not to eat “those.”
Living in the desert we don’t have many mushrooms, but when the fall crops arrive I love to go to the market and pick out the large fan-shaped Portobello mushrooms. The large radius of this mushroom makes it perfect for feeding large groups of people. Mushrooms have great nutritional values and are filling. When coupled with other stick-to-your-ribs food like potatoes, they can help fight off the oncoming cold of winter.
Portobellas, a cousin to the Crimini, are great when marinated and fired over the grill. I let them cook until they turn tender and juicy. I like to serve them with garlicky spinach and whipped potatoes. When it’s too cold to go outside to grill you can roast them in the oven at 400 degrees. They will cook about the same amount of time as on the grill.
This recipe will serve four hungry diners.
- 4 large Portobello mushrooms, cleaned
- 1/2 cup Herb Vinaigrette
- Clean the gills out of the mushrooms.
- In a suitable container pour the herb vinaigrette over the mushrooms. Rub the marinade into the mushrooms. Let marinade 4 hours or overnight if possible.
- Fire up the grill and cook the mushrooms 4 minutes on each side. Watch that they don't burn. Let them cool down a bit, then slice and serve with garlicky spinach and vegan whipped potatoes.
- You can make these into Mushroom burgers as well. Serve in a bun with all your favorite burger toppings.
