Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushrooms with Balsamic, Olive Oil, Garlic & Basil

Wanted a change of pace from the typical asparagus, zucchini, corn or eggplant on the grill, so decided to try out some mushrooms. Portobellos - basically, the grown-up version of criminis - are an excellent candidate for the grill in all their meaty and aromatic splendor (that is, for a shroom). I compared a number of recipes for grilled portobellos and decided to grill them first with a bit of olive oil, salt & pepper, then sliced them in half and marinated them in a balsamic, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil dressing. They taste pretty good after about an hour of marinating, but they're definitely better the next day. You can also saute or even roast the portobellos in the oven in lieu of grilling, just in case you don't have a grill or don't want to go through motions of, well, grilling. Can be served warm or at room temp., and is great as an antipasto. 


Ingredients: 
12 medium portobello mushrooms (12 oz.)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 C. olive oil
1 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. basil, chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt
Black pepper
1/4 C. olive oil (for brushing on the mushrooms)


1. Whisk together the minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 3/4 cup olive oil, chopped parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Pour into a mason jar, screw on the cap and shake vigorously for several seconds until well blended. Set aside.


2. Fire up the grill. Brush the mushrooms (both sides) with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Place the mushrooms on the grill, cap side down, and grill 4-5 minutes until lightly charred. Turn over and grill an additional 2-4 minutes. Remove from the grill, let cool slightly. Place the mushrooms in a casserole.


3. Shake the jar of marinade to make sure the ingredients are emulsified, then pour over the mushroom, toss well, then slice each mushrooms in half. Toss the mushrooms well in the marinade, then pour the whole shebang into a large Ziploc bag. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour before serving. Better yet, let sit at room temp for an hour, then place the bag in the frig overnight, take out and let the shrooms come to room temp again before serving. 

Medium portobellos. They're labeled 'Portabellinis' here, but I've also seen them as 'Portabellas,' Portabellos,' and (my preferred spelling) 'Portobellos.' 

Balsamic vinegar & olive oil.

The marinade.

Put the marinade in a mason jar and shake well to emulsify.

Pour the marinade over the grilled mushrooms.

Slice each mushroom in half; toss well with the marinade.

Place the mushroom-marinade mixture into a Ziploc bag. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour. If not serving right away, place the bag in the frig and let marinate overnight.