Portobello Mushroom Burger

Portobello mushrooms were on sale this week at Whole Foods, which prompted the idea of a mushroom burger. Why not? They were very easy to prepare and tasted delicious...even my husband, who does not like mushrooms really, liked the flavor...true, he struggled with the texture of the mushroom, but anyone who likes, or loves, mushrooms will love this burger! I would eat it just the same as a regular burger any day of the week. Chalk one up for fungus!

Portobello Mushroom Burger

4 portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and cleaned

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

Arugula pesto (recipe follows)

4 T goat cheese

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

2 red bell peppers (or you could use caramelized onions)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Brush mushrooms caps with olive oil; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper (both sides). Grill mushrooms, for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until tender (don't grill them too long, they will become mushy!).

Meanwhile, using either your oven or gas stove, roast the red peppers until charred. Place charred peppers in an ice bath until cool, remove skin, seeds and membranes, and slice. Make the arugula pesto (recipe below).

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, pesto, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread mixture evenly over cut sides of buns. Place mushroom caps on bottom half of bun, fill center with 1 T goat cheese each and top each evenly with red pepper. Cover with top bun half.

Arugula Pesto

2 cups arugula

1 lemon, juice and zest

1 T pine nuts

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 olive oil + more as needed

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and combine until well emulsified, adding more olive oil if needed.