Grilled Portobello Salad

The dog days of summer are here, folks.  I love it.  So much.  Even if it means I don't cook much in July and August.  It's fine by me because with fresh farmer's market bounty, every meal makes itself.  With three years of blog archives, I've settled on my favorite summer recipes and have fallen into a delicious daily food routine.

Breakfast is yoatmeal, with raspberries, or nectarines, or blueberries, or whatever looks ripe and sweet that week.  Lunch is usually gazpacho, with cheese or avocado and bread.  For an afternoon snack, I have some juicy watermelon.  Dinner is some type of salad:  this one, this one, and this one have tickled my fancy lately. Some people may find this rotating menu boring.  Not me, not right now.  The tomatoes are sweet and fresh, the lettuce is crisp and crunchy, the fruit tastes like candy.  Every meal is a celebration of fresh local produce.

The only problem with this routine is keeping my Green and Lean readers entertained.  I console myself by thinking (hoping) that you're way too busy enjoying your summer to be reading blogs anyways.

I was planning on making some sandwiches with these portobello mushrooms, but suddenly became reluctant to deviate from my routine so I turned them into a supper salad instead.  To be honest, I've just eaten too much amazing walnut buckwheat bread from Sun Street in the past week so I decided a salad was a better option than more bread!  

At the end of each week, I frantically need to use up all of last week's produce so that I can go to the market and re-stock with fresh stuff.  So, I decided I needed to grill up my zucchini, grape tomatoes, and red onion for my salad also.  I had a package of criminis (same as portobellos, just smaller) so I used them as well.  It would be criminal to not top this combo with some local goat cheese.  The leftover marinade is turned into the salad dressing so nothing is wasted.  Serve with a glass of chilled white wine.  Perfect!

Grilled Portobello Salad

Serves 2

2 portobello mushrooms

1 package crimini or button mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1 cup grape tomatoes (optional)

1/2 red onion, large dice (optional)

2 zucchini, large dice (optional)

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1-2 Tbsp additional

salt and pepper

lettuce

goat cheese

1 tsp dijon mustard

In a large bowl, ziploc bag, or tupperware, marinate your mushrooms and other veggies in 3 Tbsp each balsamic vinegar and olive oil, then add salt and pepper.  Let sit at room temperature for an hour or so.

Heat your grill to medium high and grill your marinated vegetables for about 4 minutes on each side.  Use a grill basket for the smaller veggies.  

Add a teaspoon of dijon mustard to your leftover marinade and whisk in another Tablespoon or more of olive oil until it emulsifies.

Layer grilled vegetables on a bed of lettuce, top with crumbled goat cheese, and drizzle with dressing.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Cauliflower Steaks with Broccoli Gravy

TWO YEARS AGO:  Chili Lime Veggie Burritos

THREE YEARS AGO:  Gazpacho