Choose flat, thick mushroom caps and buy a few extra to practice the slicing technique. If you are pressed for time you can use ¼ cup of prepared pesto instead of making it.
Preparation: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 4 burgers
Pesto:
1 clove garlic
1 cup packed baby arugula leaves
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil
Burgers:
8 large Portobello mushrooms
4 tbsp olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh pepper
4 ounces fresh or smoked mozzarella, cut into 4
4 large pieces roasted red pepper, wiped dry
1 cup packed baby arugula leaves
Method:
Make the pesto:
Preparation: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 4 burgers
Pesto:
1 clove garlic
1 cup packed baby arugula leaves
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil
Burgers:
8 large Portobello mushrooms
4 tbsp olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh pepper
4 ounces fresh or smoked mozzarella, cut into 4
4 large pieces roasted red pepper, wiped dry
1 cup packed baby arugula leaves
Method:
Make the pesto:
- Fit a food processor with a metal blade.
- With motor running, drop garlic through feed tube, process until finely minced. Remove lid; add baby arugula and ¼ tsp salt.
- With processor running, stream in oil. Set aside
For the burger:
You need 2 mushroom caps for each burger.Remove and discard mushroom stems. For burger bottoms, slice off and discard about ½ inch of the rounded tops of 4 mushrooms to make them flat. Brush all mushrooms on both sides with oil, salt, and pepper.
- For the burgers.
- Grill mushrooms, covered, 4 minutes; turn quickly and grill 3 minutes more, just tender.
Turn 4 mushrooms with cut tops, gill side up on the grill. - Top each with cheese and roasted pepper; place an uncut mushroom gill-side down on top. Cover grill and cook 1 minute more, until cheese begins to melt.
- Place burgers on plates and stuff with arugula, lifting off mushroom tops and placing greens on top of cheese and peppers. Return tops.
- Drizzle with pesto.
enjoy.
