Obviously, the name is fake. But everything else about them is real: The charming good looks. The sophistication.The versatility. The taste. Raw, grilled, sauteed or baked, portobello mushrooms are what’s for dinner with or without meat. And, finally, they are easy to find in supermarkets almost everywhere.
So let’s celebrate their renaissance through story and recipe. Even though they are of but humble birth, they have risen to heights of creativity and expression.
The mushroom that took its Italian-sounding name from inspired marketing is really the mature common brown crimini mushroom, a mushroom that at one time was tossed out when it became mature. (Crimini mushrooms are a variation on the familiar cultivated white mushroom.) But thanks to that very maturity, the portobello is great at certain culinary tasks, such as grilling. Its dramatically large, wide cap and concentrated flavor make it a good substitute for meat, and, like other mushrooms, it pairs well with many ingredients.
Almost all supermarkets now stock portobellos in their produce departments. Choose mushrooms that are moist and plump, neither dry nor shriveled, and without any soft, discolored spots. They should have a faint damp smell of the earth.
Most portobellos are sold with stems and clinging substrate (growing material) intact to keep them fresh and flavorful. If packaged, remove the mushrooms immediately from the sealed wrapper. Left airtight under plastic, they will become slippery and inedible. Leaving the root clumps attached, place the mushrooms on a platter or tray, cover with a cloth and refrigerate until using.
No matter how fresh, they should be prepared within a day or two of purchase for best results. No, don’t freeze. Once cooked and seasoned, however, portobello mixtures may be frozen.
Just before cooking, trim off the stem. If the stem is woody, throw it away. If it’s soft, save it for the stockpot or finely chop it to add to pasta sauce. Clean the mushroom caps with a soft brush to remove any gritty growing medium from the surface. They don’t need to be washed.
There’s an unconventional way of tenderizing and rehydrating larger and older mushrooms that are on the way to getting tough from loss of moisture. It sounds shocking, but the trick is to parboil or steam them al dente.
To parboil, drop the mushrooms into a pot of boiling water and simmer while dunking the bobbing caps for two to three minutes. Lift them out with tongs, then drain and pat dry. To steam, place the mushrooms in the steamer for two or three minutes.
Portobellos have an affinity for certain flavors and seasonings. They love butter and olive oil. (Don’t we all?) And they are especially at home with onions and garlic. They are in sync with the flavor palette of almost any Italian dish. And they’re great sauteed or grilled, then sliced and served alongside steaks and burgers.
Try these suggestions for quick dishes:
Blue cheese portobello burger. Trim off the stems. Brush the caps with olive oil, and place them, smooth side up, under the broiler. Broil for a minute. Flip. Remove from the oven; sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over the gill side. Run under the broiler until the cheese melts and bubbles. Serve on a toasted bun with onions, lettuce and tomatoes; as a side dish with steaks; or as a vegetarian entree.
Knife-and-fork portobello pizza. Choose a portobello about 5 inches wide with a good rim around the edge. Steam until tender, if desired. Rub the mushroom with olive oil; place it, gill side up, on a broiler pan. Drizzle with more olive oil and scatter with chopped garlic. Spoon jarred pizza sauce into the center. Sprinkle with hot red pepper flakes, oregano and thyme. Top with grated fontina or mozzarella cheese, and run under the broiler to brown. Or add the topping of your choice: anchovies, cooked Italian sausage or chopped bell peppers.
Stuffed portobello appetizer. Combine chopped mushrooms that have been sauteed in olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped herbs and enough bread crumbs to bind. Add a generous amount of surimi (imitation crab), and mix well. Pile the stuffing 3 inches high on the mushroom cap, place under the broiler to toast, and top with a shower of cheese.
Portobello pasta sauce. To make about two cups sauce, coarsely chop a large portobello, a large onion and several cloves of garlic. Saute in olive oil until soft and moist. Add a small jar of marinara sauce and a handful of pitted black olives, and cook a few minutes to blend flavors. Keep warm while you make a crunchy topping.
Toss a few tablespoons of pine nuts into a small dry saute pan over medium heat, and stir until toasted and golden. Set aside. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and about ½ cup bread crumbs. Toss and stir over medium heat with a wooden spoon until crisp and golden. Cook 8 ounces of pasta according to package directions. Drain and stir in the mushroom sauce. Top individual servings with the bread crumbs and pine nuts.
“Who needs pasta?” portobello. Always grill or broil a few extra mushrooms. The leftovers make a fast low-calorie lunch or snack. Grill, broil or heat up a portobello, and sprinkle it with minced garlic, olive oil, coarse salt and herbs. Place on a pool of marinara sauce, and shake Parmesan over it.
Quickie lunch pizzas. Here’s a do-ahead formula for using up tender, moist stems. Chop them coarsely; set aside. Coarsely chop a white onion and a clove of garlic, and saute in olive oil. Add the chopped stems and saute until tender. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, thyme and oregano to taste. Divide mixture into ½-cup portions and freeze.
To use, toss into the microwave to defrost. To make the pizzas, split English muffins and toast. Rub bread surfaces with the cut side of a garlic clove, then drizzle with olive oil. Pile on about ¼ cup mushroom-onion mixture. Sprinkle with hot red pepper flakes. Top with grated cheese and run under the broiler until brown.
Portobello tapenade
This mushroom variation of the rough Provencal caper-and-black-olive puree called tapenade is less intense than the traditional version but just as habit-forming. Make it at least a day in advance to allow the flavors to develop. Spread it on small slices of crusty peasant bread as an appetizer. The recipe that follows is from “The Mushroom Book,” by Michael McLaughlin (Chronicle).
1-1/4; pounds portobello mushrooms
7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary and oregano)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1/3; cup dry red wine
36 Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tablespoons small capers, drained
5 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained
2-1/2; tablespoons lemon juice
Remove stems from mushrooms and reserve for another use. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, tossing and stirring often, until the mushrooms begin to render their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine; lower the heat slightly; and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, about 7 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
In a food processor, combine the mushroom mixture, olives, capers, anchovies and lemon juice; process until finely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil; the mixture will thicken. Do not overprocess; some texture should remain.
Transfer tapenade to a container, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
Scrambled eggs with portobellos and onions
1/3 cup chopped onions
1½ tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped mushrooms, about 1 large
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
8 eggs
Saute onion in butter until just transparent. Add mushrooms, salt, sugar and soy sauce; continue to cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
Beat eggs lightly and add them to the sauteed mixture. Continue stirring until the eggs are not quite completely cooked. Remove from heat. (Heat from the bottom of the pan will finish cooking the eggs while you continue to stir them.) Makes 4 servings.
Portobello quesadillas
The recipe that follows has been adapted from “Barbecues 101” by Rick Rodgers (Broadway). Fontina cheese has a mild mushroom flavor that goes so well with grilled portobellos. Although you can substitute Monterey Jack or mozzarella, it’s worth it to search out fontina.
Olive oil
4 portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed and discarded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 8-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or a combination of rosemary, sage and thyme
Build a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill; let it burn until the coals are covered with white ash. In a gas grill, preheat on high.
Lightly oil the cooking rack. Brush mushroom caps liberally with oil, and lightly season them with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms on the grill. Cover.
Grill, turning once, until mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, and slice mushrooms into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
Place 4 tortillas on a work surface, and sprinkle each with ¼ cup of the cheese. Top with equal amounts of the mushroom strips, sprinkle with the herbs, then carefully place each on the grill. Top each with one of the remaining tortillas. Grill the quesadillas until the underside is lightly browned, about 45 seconds, then turn and grill to brown the other side. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges, and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.
Grilled portobello sandwiches
This recipe is a variation on one that appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
16 small portobello mushrooms
2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
12 slices whole-wheat bread
Mayonnaise
Lettuce leaves
12 tomato slices
Toss mushrooms, eggplants and onion with oil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide vegetables into 2 batches. Place first batch on grill rack over medium-high heat, and grill, turning over halfway, until softened and slightly charred but still intact, about 10 minutes. (Vegetables can also be broiled; keep an eye on them and turn them over halfway through.)
Lay flat on baking sheet to cool. Repeat with second batch. (Vegetables can be refrigerated for later use at this point.) Spread bread slices with mayonnaise.
Top half of bread slices with grilled vegetables, lettuce and tomato slices, dividing evenly. Top with remaining bread slices. Cut in half and serve. Makes 6 servings.
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