Grilled or Broiled Portobello Salad with Soy Vinaigrette

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

V

So meaty you won’t believe it. Consider doubling the number of mushrooms and serving this as a main course, or use it to stuff sandwiches, burritos, tacos, or enchiladas.

• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems discarded
• ¼ cup good-quality vegetable oil, or more as needed
• Salt and pepper
• 6 cups lightly packed mixed greens
• ½ cup Soy Vinaigrette (page 631)

1. Heat a charcoal or gas grill or turn on the broiler for medium heat; adjust the rack to 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Rub or brush the mushrooms with enough oil to lightly coat them, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Grill or broil until they shrink and are lightly browned and slightly crisp, anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes per side, depending on your equipment. Brush or drizzle them with more oil if they start to look too dry. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into thick ribbons.
2. Put the greens in a large bowl and toss with ¼ cup of the dressing. Spread the mushroom slices on top and drizzle with their accumulated juices. Drizzle with a little more of the dressing and serve.

Grilled or Broiled Shiitake Salad with Soy Vinaigrette A little more work but always impressive: Instead of the portobellos, remove the stems from 1 pound shiitake mushrooms. Thread the mushroom caps on metal skewers or wooden ones that have been soaked in water for at least 20 minutes. Proceed with the recipe from the beginning of Step 1.

Grilled or Broiled Portobello or Shiitake Salad with Balsamic Syrup Especially good if you use arugula for the greens: Follow the main recipe or variation above, substituting olive oil for the vegetable oil and Balsamic Syrup (page 633) for the dressing.