Out hiking last weekend, I found a gigantic wild mushroom–a fall porcini , according to my expert source. I didn’t end up eating it, but it put me in the mood for mushrooms.
These one-of-a-kind edibles are neither vegetable nor fruit. Categorized as fungi, mushrooms are the fruiting body that grow from spores produced by an intricate living network underground.
Basically, mushrooms are weird, and they offer something a little bit different to put on the grill. So, when I found beautifully fresh, massive portobello mushrooms at the market, I made a plan to give them a special treatment.
It’s common to marinate mushrooms, but I wanted to try something different: a good grilling followed by a bath in a rosemary mop sauce.
A mop sauce is a staple of barbecue. As meat slowly cooks, the pit master dabs on a succulent sauce, often some form of barbecue. But, instead of marinating the mushrooms in advance of cooking, I decided to try something new for a batch of mushroom bruschetta.
First, I’d grill them au naturel. {I’ve been playing around with this method grilling a range of vegetables, like asparagus.} Then, I’d douse them with a mop sauce of red wine vinegar, tamari, garlic, olive oil and loads of fresh rosemary from my garden {my best crop ever}.
Kind of like a reverse marinade.
I arranged thick slices of mushroom onto my grill pan {also called a grill topper}. This is an essential piece of equipment because mushrooms shrink a lot. I crowded the pan then grilled them until browned and wrinkled, turning once.
Using tongs I tossed them vigorously with my mop sauce {they could take it} into a bowl. Then, I let them marinate while I grilled some bread.
I plattered the mushrooms, now room temperature, with the mop sauce puddled around them, and piled on grilled bread.
That evening, mushroom bruschetta became the centerpiece of a hot-weather meal, along with vegetables and dip, hummus and fresh cheese.
We gathered around the table and ate dinner with our hands. Grilled and coated in the rosemary mop sauce, the mushrooms achieved a texture that I can only describe as meaty.
And I can’t resist mentioning that if you’re so inclined, these grilled mushrooms, along with the grilled bread, would go great with a grilled steak.
What’s on your bruschetta? Let me know in the comments below or tag a photo #lynnesforage on Instagram or Facebook.
Grilled Rosemary Mushroom Bruschetta
Equipment
- grill topper
Ingredients
- 5 large portabella mushrooms, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- pinch red pepper flakes
- fine sea salt
- black pepper
- 1 loaf crusty bread, sliced 1/2-inch
Instructions
- Prepare a medium-hot grill. Arrange the mushrooms on a grill topper or pan in a single layer, crowding them.
- Grill until browned and starting to shrivel, about 12 minutes, then turn and cook the other side until lightly browned, about 5 minutes more. Collect them into a wide, shallow bowl. (If you prefer smaller mushroom pieces, turn them out onto a cutting board, chop as desired and return them to the bowl.)
- To make the mop, combine [double the amount] in a small bowl. Vigorously toss the grilled mushrooms in a mixing bowl with about two-thirds of the mop to coat them well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the mushrooms marinate while you grill the bread. (This step can be done up to 1 hour in advance.) Grill the bread slices until grill marks appear, flip and toast the other side.
- To serve, arrange the mushrooms on a wide platter and arrange the bread alongside with additional mop sauce alongside for self serving. Alternatively, dab each slice of bread with some of the mop sauce, top with the mushrooms and platter for serving.
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