In my efforts any to try to use vegetables besides carrots, potatoes, and peas at our dinner table I find myself exploring flavor and preparations that are a whole new category for my kitchen. I have learned two things:
-
I’m pretty good at following directions
-
I am not a gourmet cook, (YET…)
I don’t even know where to find some of these ingredients on the grocery shelf. Not to be discouraged by stinky cheese or an obscure cut of meat, I have come up with a few shall we say “slightly compromised” dinner dishes lately.
Feeling inspired by yummy pictures in my new magazine subscription from Americas Test Kitchen that Scott adores, I read up on the scientific if not tedious ways to grill or not to grill a perfect hamburger, and paired that with a a separate recipe that covered one of my favorite veggies: PORTABELLA mushrooms! MMMMMMMM.
Surprisingly, when faced with watching Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Club for the millionth time or snuggling next to the adorable kid watching it and reading copious details on why you have to package your soaked cedar chips in a foiled package just so to achieve the perfect smoked BBQ flavor, I find myself actually absorbing this stuff here and there…
In tonight’s dinner dish the mushrooms are washed, and the top side scored to break the somewhat tough skin and then marinated in olive oil and garlic for an hour before you grill them.
I killed the hour drooling over the other recipes that I know I will never get to and rue my timing that Scott, Mr. Food Scientist, has just sworn off sugar. ( PBBBB! Good luck with that, ha ha, ’cause I’m glad its not me!) When his kids talk some sense back into him you would probably find me on his doorstep with a few donated ingredients to place and order for one of the many foods I Didn’t Know I Needed To Have Until I Saw It In This Magazine. If he makes it I will get my piece and they can share the rest with the pack of kids over there, or send them to bed and sneak eat it by themselves.
- Wash and dry Four Large Portabella Mushrooms. Score the top surface about 1/16 deep about every ⅓ inch.
- In a large Ziploc bag place:
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- Marinade mushrooms for up to an hour before grilling.
- Add lettuce and chopped tomatoes for a complete filling dinner.
- On a grill that has been heated for 15 minutes cook mushrooms gill side down with top covered/shut for 4 to 6 minutes or until it is soft. Then flip it over and add 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese to each mushroom and spread over the mushroom surface surface. Cook another 2 minutes with top of grill down. Move mushrooms to top warming rack of grill to rest and keep warm while you grill the hamburgers to your preference.
That said, I was happy enough with the experiment to take some pictures and even take an extra serving over to share with a friend. We didn’t even miss not having a bun with the burger.
Here is to life’s uncomplicated endeavors. Mushroom lovers: enjoy!
