Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Veg-Head Tuesday: The Spectacular Shroom

Hi Readers! Back from a very restful and completely unplugged visit to beautiful California! More on that after the dust settles...I'll be trying to catch up with you slowly this week, so please be patient with me. I really can't wait to hear what y'all have been up to!



Shhhh...can you hear that? That's your grill, covered in dust from a long winter, catcalling in your ear, saying, "Hey babycakes, it's been too long, don'tcha think? How 'bout going for a little spin, eh?"

Wake up, folks! Dust that dude off! It's prime grilling time--the weather is neither so steamy that you can't fathom heating ANYthing up (even a grill) nor so chilly that you crave a bowl of Guiness stew. It's sweet-spot weather!

Well, at least it is in my neck of the woods.

Don't assume that your grill discriminates, either. Sure, he loves the chicken and the cow and lunchtime weiner, but he loves veggies, too. In fact, the grill is quite the show-off where veggies are concerned.

"Think you don't like vegetables?" the grill scoffs. "Plop 'em on here, honey, and I'll work some veggie magic. I've got serious veggie mojo, Mama, so let me show you how it's done."

That grill might be a braggart, but he's not a liar. Marinate some succulent portabello mushrooms, add some toasty, gooey cheese love, a kiss of herbs, a crunchy breadcrumb topping, and Whammo! You've got an audaciously delicious concoction. With a dish so multi-layered and flavorful, the chicken in your refrigerator will shed a tear, he's so jealous.



Marinated Portabello Mushrooms with Asiago
from Weber's Way to Grill
serves 6

Marinade:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 large portabello mushrooms, each 5 to 6 inches in diameter
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley
1 1/2 cups grated Asiago cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red chile flakes (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove and discard the stems. With a teaspoon, carefully scrape out and discard the black gills from the mushroom caps. Place the mushrooms, caps sides up, on a rimmed plate and brush them with the marinade. Turn the mushrooms over and brush again with the marinade. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the parsley and red pepper flakes, if using.

Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the mushrooms, gill side down, over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until the mushrooms begin to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Brush the cap sides with some of the remaining marinade from the plate, turn over, add 1/4 cup of cheese on top of each mushroom, close the lid, and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, 4 to 6 minutes. During the last minute of cooking time, place the bread crumb mixture evenly on top of each mushroom. Remove from the grill, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

39 comments:

  1. *sigh* My kingdom for a grill. And a mushroom. And some asiago cheese.

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  2. Oh...that looks good...really good...must try!

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  3. Our grill pan gets a workout all year round as we have no yard to speak of (ah, what you must give up to live in a city) and yes, grilled veggies are awesome. I'm usually not a stuffed portobello kind of girl (creminis are just so much tastier to me!) but I must admit that these look awesome.

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  4. That looks so yummy. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. I love portebellos from the grill...yummy!

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  6. The only dust my grill sees is from the yard men once a week when they run the leaf blower to dust the patio, and driveway...my pool gets the yard dust too! We grill quite often all year. Portabellos are one of our favorites, especially with cheese. Asiago sounds perfect! Yummy!

    Hope you had a great relaxing time!

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  7. You had me at mushroom, asiago and grill...Missed you girl! Hope you had a great time catching up and unwinding!

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  8. Living out here, our grill gets regular workouts all year long. Unfortunately, I can't stand The Mushroom. I've tried, I have, and really? Is there anything truly bad that's covered in cheese? I just can't bring myself to do it. I'll just stick to my boring turkey burgers and grilled salmon. Yawn.

    Glad you're back!

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  9. My husband would DIE for this. He loves all and anything mushroom. I need more veggie recipes. Trying to go meatless twice a week in our house. Not as easy one would think.

    P.S. I hope you had a lovely, wonderful time!! And please tell us all about it.

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  10. Another sadness of Northern England - though it's my own stubborn fault: I don't try to plan picnics or do BBQs and I don't hang my laundry outside. I think people here who do (and always have to run out to save whatever from the rain) are foolishly optimistic. When we were in Italy we ate outdoors every chance we got and when we live back in the States I will be cooking outdoors a lot as well.

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  11. Glad you're back. I think my grill has become home to a pack of squirrels. Do they come in packs? Gaggles? Herds?

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  12. How about Asiago straight up? Can you grill that??

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  13. I'm with Stacia - I love me some asiago! (And vegetarian though I am, I don't like mushrooms. I know, I know, major FAIL. The most annoying dinner guest in history.)

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  14. Do different mushrooms have different textures are all they pretty much the same? That has always been my problem with mushrooms (and a lot of other foods).

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  15. We love doing veggies on the grill. Plus, I finally put my foot down and made Hubs buy me a new grill. I was tired of praying and hoping the house wouldn't burn down as I tried to light a gas grill with a match. Oh happy day!

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  16. I was informed by my teen this weekend that our itty bitty grill was non-functional (more's the pity) - not that I actually knew how to use it, mind you, but it was the "boy thing" which the... yes, boys... enjoyed doing the past few summers. My way of managing to get out of kitchen duty in the evening at least occasionally.

    Might these 'shrooms work in the old Easy Bake oven, if I can find that in the basement from the days before my young men discovered the manly act of grilling?

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  17. I would not like these. I don't eat mushrooms. My husband does though. I find it amusing that he'll eat fungus but that he doesn't like pot roast...

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  18. YUM!! These are on the menu this week! I can't wait. Hope you had a great trip. I'd love to hear about it.

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  19. You KNOW what I'm gonna say: It needs bacon. :P

    I wonder what you whipped up for Peanut and Nap. Lucky dogs. Welcome back.
    jc

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  20. In my neck of the woods we never stopped grilling, but this sounds like a good use for that still-limping-along but nevertheless stalwart old grill of mine. Hope California was fun.

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  21. I ADORE! grilled portabello's! Can't wait to check out this recipe:) Glad your back. Can't wait to hear about your trip!

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  22. My husband is the grill master and he's going to love you for this! Thanks! (Glad you had a great time! We missed you!)

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  23. I love mushrooms and those look positively wonderful! Glad to hear your trip was restful.

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  24. Oh. My. Gosh. This sounds absolutely delish. I can't WAIT to try this!

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  25. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who fantasizes about the gigantic beautiful mushrooms I see at the grocery store! Grilling? Okay. Unusual, but okay!

    Welcome back, girlie.

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  26. Love the mushroom! I agree with you the grill may be a little arrogant but it does get the job done.

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  27. Asiago cheese and mushrooms- YUM!
    I still can't believe I don't own a grill yet? This summer for sure and I'll be trialling these little fellas!

    Glad California was restful for you x

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  28. This is absolutely my kind of recipe. As soon as our house guests (who don't like mushrooms, oh the shame!) clear out I will fire up the grill and make these! I'm so glad you had a total break in sunny Cali. You needed it! Can't wait to see you in almost a week!

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  29. Wish I had a grill, or room for one for that matter! My options here are: using a grill pan or drive one hour to the lake house, fire up the coal grill, wait for about another hour for the thing to be hot, grill there. So my question is: do you think a grill pan would work well enough for this recipe?

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  30. Glad you had a relaxing mini-vacation. Be sure to tell us all about it...

    I don't have a grill. :(
    But I don't see why I can't make this on the stove and then in the oven.

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  31. Well hello, delicious! (And welcome home to you too, TKW.)

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  32. The problem is that the grill is my HUSBAND'S job and I'm afraid this will require me to actually do some work... but it seems so WORTH the effort! I guess there's nothing wrong with my stepping up to the grill every once in a while if it means something scrumptious like this!

    Welcome back! Have missed you!

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  33. Look at that, you got back just in time to torment me with a delicious recipe when I'm feeling far too lazy to cook. Or grill. (whining) TKW! Please cook for me!

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  34. Looks fabulous! The mushroom will suck the calories right out of that cheese, right? Maybe I'll eat two.

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  35. I wish I liked mushrooms - that looks so good!!

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  36. LOL @ the crying chicken. All the veggies in my fridge are depressed: they are like the concubines in the ancient Chinese palace - have never been used, never been visited, and when they get old and withered, they get thrown out.

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  37. I'm a huge portobello fan and this sounds simple enough for me so I'll be coming back for this recipe for sure!

    And California? Do tell! Did it by any chance include a romantic sojourn to the wine country? Or was it more family fun at Legoland and Disney?

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  38. our grill has been screaming from the garage for quite some time now, and we finally answered the call a few weeks ago. i didn't realize how much i missed her. yes, her. :)

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