Grilled Portabella Mushrooms Stacked with
Spinach and Manchego Cheese
Serves: 4 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 45 minutes
"When grilled, portabella mushrooms take on an incredibly satisfy
meaty quality," writes Bobby Flay in his latest grilling book,
"Bobby Flay's Grilling for Life" (Scribner, $22). "I think of this
dish as a first-course salad, but it could easily be the centerpiece
of a vegetarian meal. Stack the mushrooms for that professional chef
look and be sure to shave the cheese with a vegetable peeler."
SHERRY VINAIGRETTE
1 small shallot, peeled, finely chopped
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
GRILLED MUSHROOMS
8 medium (about 4 inches in diameter) portabella mushroom caps
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces baby spinach
2 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly shaved
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Preheat the grill to high.
To prepare the sherry vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk together
the shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in
the quarter cup of oil and whisk until it's emulsified. Set the
vinaigrette aside.
Brush the mushroom caps on both sides with the 2 tablespoons of oil
and season them with the salt and black pepper. Grill the caps, top
side down, until they are slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn the mushrooms over and continue to grill until they are just
cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
Place the spinach in a medium bowl and toss it with some of the
sherry vinaigrette.
Divide half of the spinach among 4 salad plates. Top the spinach
with half of the cheese and then a grilled mushroom. Repeat the
layers in the same order using the remaining spinach and cheese and
ending with a mushroom cap. Press down gently on the stacks to keep
them from falling.
Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the mushrooms and garnish
with the chives. Serve immediately.
Cook's note: Manchego is a Spanish sheep's milk cheese. Other
cheeses that blend well with the mushrooms are Gouda and smoked
provolone.
From "Bobby Flay's Grilling for Life" by Bobby Flay (Scribner, $22).
Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 291
calories (63% from fat), 20 grams fat (5 grams sat. fat), 18 grams
carbohydrates, 9 grams protein, 542 mg sodium, 15 mg cholesterol,
157 mg calcium, 5 grams fiber. |