ROASTING PORTOBELLA MUSHROOMS

ROASTING PORTOBELLA MUSHROOMS

Roasted Portobella mushrooms with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. That’s all you need. Slice to serve as is, or slice and saute in a little more olive oil, salt and pepper! 

Makes 4 whole mushrooms

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mushrooms:

4 fresh whole Portobella mushrooms; wash, remove stems and trim caps

4 T. extra virgin olive oil

salt

garlic powder

Place mushrooms gills side up on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle each lightly with salt and garlic powder.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or till mushrooms are fork tender in the middle.

Remove from oven, then when cooled to room temperature place on board, and slice each mushroom on a slant into 5-6 pieces, like you slice a flank steak.

In large skillet, over medium heat, fry mushroom slices in a little olive oil, on both sides, till lightly browned. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Don’t overcook. Turn heat off and remove to plate. Use on sandwiches, to top a salad, pasta or rice dish, or as a side vegetable.

Notes: Either roasted, or roasted then sauteed, these steak-like mushrooms will elevate any meal! And it’s so easy.

If you feel like roasting some garlic, roast stove-top whereby the cloves are still intact and not mushy, cut into chunks, then when sauteing the mushroom slices add to skillet as much as you like. 

I’ve tried marinating Portobella mushrooms for sandwiches, and never liked the result. The vinegar used in the marinade always over-powers the flavor of the mushroom. I don’t know why restaurants continue to do it, unless the purpose is to preserve the mushroom longer. I’d say don’t do it.

Always select firm mushrooms, then use within 2-3 days for best flavor results. If a mushroom smells even a little bit fishy, don’t use it. Cooking it won’t take that flavor away, no matter how you season it.