There is no denying that cooking outside holds some primeval allure. Man (or woman, if we must... just kidding) and nature. Being outside brings us closer to the origins of the food for which we are about to incinerate. Whilst this cook is neither a farmer nor a hunter, being amongst the shrubbery and some rather aggressive squirrels grounds me in my natural surrounds. There are the bugs to dodge, birds from which to guard the “to be grilled” and the sweltering heat to escape.
Cooking outside is not without its challenges; not the trivial, age-old query of “which is better, gas or charcoal?” nor “how do I keep the shrimp from falling through the grates?” faux pas. Rather, what should we grill, without transgressing the tired ol’ burgers route? Mind you, burgers are quite tasty on a well-stoked grill, however, not everyday. There are, after all, more flavors than vanilla.
I offer the marriage of two over used and oft misused ingredients, straight from the natural surrounds from which you stand, for your consideration, conjugating their immeasurable flavors in one wholesome dish.
½ Cup, blended oil; spare the expensive stuff, we are just going to burn it up anyhow
2 Tablespoons, Chopped, fresh garlic
4 Large, portabella mushrooms caps, brushed free of… the stuff in which they grow
½ Cup, pesto… I surrender to the fact that we will not all be making our pesto for this dish, but it is well worth the marginal amount of labor. If you are buying, spend the bucks for the best pesto you can buy; you did save some currency by using the cheap oil!
With white-hot coals, already ashed over in the grill, mix the oil and garlic in a rather large bowl. Quickly coat the mushrooms in the oil mixture, allowing the excess to run off into the bowl. Do not soak, marinate or otherwise submerge the mushrooms; they will become sponges, only to loosen their grip on the soaked-up oil over the roaring fire, at which time your charbroiled forehead will loosen its grip on your eyebrows. Place the mushrooms, ‘gill’ side down. Depending on the heat of the fire, allow to cook about 3-4 minutes. Just before flipping over, brush with generous amounts of pesto. Turn over and repeat the process. Remove to a platter or individual plates and garnish with whatever 4 or two legged specimens you happen to have roasting over the fire.
The loving relationship between the almost passé portabella mushroom and really good pesto is magical. The herbaceous flavor of the basil, the nuttiness of the toasting garlic and smackerel of cheese in the pesto just go well together with the profoundly earthy flavor of the oversized fungus. For your next outing, forage among the verdant and pungent and leave the ribs in the freezer until next week. The reward is outlandish and there is no carnivorous guilt. If you must dowse your meal in protein, perhaps a slice or two of fresh mozzarella to the underbelly of the mushroom cap to satisfy your craving. Happy hunting.
What's on your grill?
Cooking outside is not without its challenges; not the trivial, age-old query of “which is better, gas or charcoal?” nor “how do I keep the shrimp from falling through the grates?” faux pas. Rather, what should we grill, without transgressing the tired ol’ burgers route? Mind you, burgers are quite tasty on a well-stoked grill, however, not everyday. There are, after all, more flavors than vanilla.
I offer the marriage of two over used and oft misused ingredients, straight from the natural surrounds from which you stand, for your consideration, conjugating their immeasurable flavors in one wholesome dish.
½ Cup, blended oil; spare the expensive stuff, we are just going to burn it up anyhow
2 Tablespoons, Chopped, fresh garlic
4 Large, portabella mushrooms caps, brushed free of… the stuff in which they grow
½ Cup, pesto… I surrender to the fact that we will not all be making our pesto for this dish, but it is well worth the marginal amount of labor. If you are buying, spend the bucks for the best pesto you can buy; you did save some currency by using the cheap oil!
With white-hot coals, already ashed over in the grill, mix the oil and garlic in a rather large bowl. Quickly coat the mushrooms in the oil mixture, allowing the excess to run off into the bowl. Do not soak, marinate or otherwise submerge the mushrooms; they will become sponges, only to loosen their grip on the soaked-up oil over the roaring fire, at which time your charbroiled forehead will loosen its grip on your eyebrows. Place the mushrooms, ‘gill’ side down. Depending on the heat of the fire, allow to cook about 3-4 minutes. Just before flipping over, brush with generous amounts of pesto. Turn over and repeat the process. Remove to a platter or individual plates and garnish with whatever 4 or two legged specimens you happen to have roasting over the fire.
The loving relationship between the almost passé portabella mushroom and really good pesto is magical. The herbaceous flavor of the basil, the nuttiness of the toasting garlic and smackerel of cheese in the pesto just go well together with the profoundly earthy flavor of the oversized fungus. For your next outing, forage among the verdant and pungent and leave the ribs in the freezer until next week. The reward is outlandish and there is no carnivorous guilt. If you must dowse your meal in protein, perhaps a slice or two of fresh mozzarella to the underbelly of the mushroom cap to satisfy your craving. Happy hunting.
What's on your grill?
