Portabella Burgers
Yes there is a reason Portabellas are shaped like hamburger patties. Easy to prepare
and very versatile, this recipe is just a starting point. You can garnish Portabella
burgers as you would your favorite hamburger. You can cook them on a grill, but the time
may vary a little because the caps cooking over direct heat need to be flipped once or
twice to prevent scorching. Also, you need to use a grill with a cover in order to melt
the cheese.
You can also prepare regular hamburgers and simply place these Portabella burgers on top.
Ingredients:
- 4 Portabella caps, 3-4 inches in diameter
- salt
- 1 tablespoon corn or peanut oil
- 4 slices American or Jack cheese
- 4 toasted hamburger buns
Preparation:
Cut off any residual stems from the caps so that the caps will lie flat. Lightly salt the
grill side of the caps.
Place a 10-12 inch non-stick pan over high heat and add the oil. Before the oil starts
smoking, add the caps, gill side down. Reduce the heat to medium and let the caps cook for
2 minutes.
Turn the caps and cook for another minute. Carefully place the cheese inside the caps and
cover the pan with a lid (it does not have to be tight fitting) and cook for another
minute, until the cheese is melted.
Transfer the caps to the buns and add any of your favorite toppings: lettuce, slices of
tomato and onion, and, of course, relish. Cover with the other half of the bun and serve.
Serves 4.
Variation: Chop the Portabella stems you sliced from the caps and sauté them in a
little oil with some sliced onions and minced garlic. When the onion mixture is well
wilted and golden brown, remove from the pan and place on top half of the bun. Then cook
the caps and place them on top of the onion mixture. For a Pizzaburger, add a little
warmed tomato sauce, flavored with oregano or basil.
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