Portobello & Blue Cheese Burgers

YUM!! This is a very tasty alternative to the traditional beef burger.

There is so much flavor packed into this burger! I loved marinating the portobello mushrooms in the balsamic vinaigrette. I don't have a Grill Pan/Grill Press, so I used our George Foreman grill, which worked out just fine! I also just used a saute pan for the onion. The onion and blue cheese were both also really good and added a nice touch to everything. The only problem I ran into was that I had some trouble eating it! I had difficulty biting into the portobello mushroom. I'm not sure if I cooked it too long, not long enough, or if that is just how portobello mushrooms are. My husband made it through the meal alright, but I ended up getting a fork and knife to eat most of it. That didn't bother me though - it was still delicious!

A few notes from the cookbook: 1) When removing brown gills from undersides of mushrooms, leave a small amount of the gills around the outer edge. This will help keep the mushroom caps intact when grilling, 2) To clean mushrooms, wipe them with a damp paper towel. To prevent mushrooms from becoming soggy, do not clean them until ready to use, and 3) Blot tomato slices with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Give this healthy, yummy version a try next time you're in the mood for a burger! You won't be disappointed!

Portobello & Blue Cheese Burgers
Pampered Chef The Vegetarian Table
Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2011.

Prep time: 10 minutes  Total time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings

4 large portobello mushroom caps (about 4-5 in. in diameter)
1/4 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette
1 medium onion
2 tsp sugar
1 large tomato, sliced
3 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 large onion rolls
1 cup mixed greens salad blend

1. Using Avocado Peeler, remove and discard brown gills from undersides of mushroom caps. Combine mushrooms and vinaigrette in large resealable plastic bag; seal bag and turn carefully to coat. Let stand 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat Grill Pan over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Slice onion using Simple Slice on #2 setting. Spray pan with canola oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Add onion and sugar to pan; cook 6-8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat. Remove onion from pan to Cutting Board; tent with foil and set aside.
3. Return pan to heat. Remove mushrooms from bag; carefully pour vinaigrette into [1-cup] Prep Bowl. Place mushrooms rounded side down in pan. Brush mushrooms with half of the vinaigrette using Chef's Silicone Basting Brush; top with Grill Press. Cook mushrooms 3-4 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn mushrooms over; brush with remaining vinaigrette. Top with Grill Press and cook 3-4 minutes or until grill marks appear. Remove pan from heat.
4. Remove Grill Press. Top mushrooms with tomato slices and cheese; bake 5-6 minutes or until cheese is softened. Carefully remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack using Oven Mitts. Sprinkle with black pepper. To assemble, place onions on roll bottoms; top with mushrooms, mixed greens and roll tops.