Bobby Flay's Grill It! - Bobby Flay [48]
Grilled Mushroom and Shaved Celery Heart Salad with Creamy Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette and Parmigiano-Reggiano
I think celery is an under-utilized vegetable. Sometimes I find myself using it only as an aromatic to flavor soups and sauces until I remember how great it is eaten raw. The crisp texture and slightly bitter flavor are a perfect complement to the meaty texture of mushrooms. The same thing goes for parsley in that it is too often used just as a garnish. Italian flat-leaf parsley has tons of flavor and the whole leaves are a great addition to salads.
Serves 4 to 6
1 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, stems trimmed
3 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 stalks celery (the white stalks from the heart), thinly sliced
4 ounces mesclun greens
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Creamy Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler
Heat your grill to high.
Place the mushrooms in a large bowl. Add the canola oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the mushrooms on the grill, cap side down, and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn over and continue grilling until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from the grill and cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices.
Put the celery, mesclun greens, and parsley in a large bowl; add half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the mushrooms and drizzle with more of the vinaigrette. Top with the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and additional pepper.
Creamy Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Makes ⅔ cup
Grated zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the lemon zest, juice, mayonnaise, honey, salt, pepper, basil, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. The vinaigrette can be made 1 hour in advance and refrigerated.
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Hazelnut Pesto and Goat Cheese
If you are looking for a great vegetarian entrée, it doesn’t get much better than this. Portobello mushrooms are rich, hearty, and almost beefy in flavor, and the hazelnut pesto not only is delicious, but it also brings some natural protein to the dish. That all being said, I am definitely not a vegetarian and I love this dish as a side or starter. The creamy, tangy goat cheese will melt a bit from the heat of the mushrooms, making each bite a heavenly one.
Serves 4
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
3 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hazelnut Pesto (recipe follows)
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into small pieces
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Heat your grill to high.
Brush the mushrooms on both sides with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the grill, cap side down, and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the mushrooms over and continue grilling until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer the mushrooms to a platter, cap side down, and top with a few tablespoons of the hazelnut pesto and some of the goat cheese. Garnish with parsley leaves, basil leaves, and lemon zest.
Hazelnut Pesto
Makes about ¾ cup
1½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
8 fresh basil leaves
½ cup hazelnuts
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon hazelnut oil, optional
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the parsley, basil, hazelnuts, garlic, olive and hazelnut oils, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and process until smooth. The pesto can be made 2 hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Grilled Shiitake Mushroom Vinaigrette