Portabella Mushroom & Bell Pepper Cheeseburger

Lately my favorite fungi are Portabella mushrooms. Easier to cook than a hamburger patty,  I am trying out different methods of preparation, and various savory combinations with this woodsy delicacy. I like to fill up the grill so I added sweet red bell pepper to my latest tight-wad treat.

My last mushroom recipe was a baked Portabella Crab Rockefeller, and this time it's a large, meaty, grilled Portabella & Bell Pepper Cheeseburger. To keep it strictly vegan you can leave off the cheese. The final burger dressing is up to you -- just add you favorite burger toppings including spinach, tomato and pickles.

We just had a couple of days of sunshine in Los Angeles and Portabellas are at my local 99c only Store, so I quickly uncovered the barbecue grill to take full advantage. Of course an indoor stove top grill, or even a large frying pan, will give you tasty cooking results. The mushroom shrinks about 25 percent when grilled, so keep that in mind when pairing with large or small hamburger buns. 

And as long as my local 99c only Store stocks them I'll keep coming up with recipes to share with you.

Ingredients

• 1 large portabella mushroom - may want to remove stem, sometimes it's too woody.
• 1/2 bell pepper - red, yellow or green, sliced.
• 1 slice of cheese - your favorite.
• 1 hamburger bun
• Also add any favorite burger toppings - mayo, mustard, spinach, tomato, etc.

Marinade for mushroom and bell peppers

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar - okay to use regular vinegar or lemon/lime juice.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
Heat grill. Mix marinade and brush portabella mushroom and sliced bell pepper. Salt and pepper veggies to taste. If you have an Italian dressing to use up, then use it instead. The grilled veggies are also delicious seasoned with salt and pepper only.

For a more meaty, and less watery, mushroom - carefully scrape off the gills (feathery part underneath mushroom cap) with a spoon.

Give bell peppers a 5 minute head start on the grill. Add mushroom and grill each side about 5 minutes each - mushroom is done when damp and soft like a wet sponge. Mushroom will sweat water into gills so drain just before adding to the buns.

I like my hamburger buns toasted. Stack cooked bell pepper onto done mushroom and top with your favorite cheese. Cook until cheese starts to melt.

Assemble with your favorite extra toppings. You can leave off cheese for a vegan burger, it will be just as tasty.