Portobello Burger

You know how we sometimes loathe wannabes?  And how some wannabes sometimes end up better than the originals?  Well, meet a wannabe.  A burger wannabe.  This is a portobello mushroom trying to be a burger.  And succeeding.  Well, they're big enough to fit a regular-sized hamburger bun.  Their taste and texture can pass for the original, almost.  They're healthier too, so who am I to complain?  I've always loved portobello mushrooms and can't keep my hands from grabbing a tray in the supermarket even if the price hasn't been marked down.  The tray of mushrooms screamed "moo" and I knew they'd be burgers this time. I searched for the best way to do this and found PW's take on this glorious fungus.  I went back to the deli to get some prosciutto but forgot to use it.  Stupid, I know.  Taking the extra trip just for slices of prosciutto then forgetting about it, how irresponsible!  I just remembered when I was already half way into those burgers and I didn't bother interrupting my burger momentum.  I continued eating and forgave myself so you should try forgiving me too. After all, a meal this good should only leave you with happy thoughts. 

Let's see how many steps we need to achieve the wannabe status:

(1) Clean and soak the mushrooms in red wine for 20-30 minutes.  The soaking part is optional, I just happened to have some wine that no one wants to finish. 

(2) Make the dressing.  Mayo and chopped basil.  Just estimate how much mayo you will need for the number of sandwiches you are making.  For me, it's 1 tablespoon per bread side, meaning 2 tablespoons per sandwich.  Set aside. 

(3) Grill the meat mushrooms.  Drizzle with a little EVOO and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.  Let me just confess that I totally forgot about the evoo, salt and pepper yet again but it still turned out well.  Grill them until they're quite soft.  

(4) Add cheese when the mushrooms are done and let just let it melt.  I used provolone cheese but you can use whatever you have on hand.

(5) Prepare the bread.  Drizzle evoo on a pan and place the halved buns face down on the pan to make it crispy.  

(6) Assemble.  Bun, basil-mayo, greens, mushroom+cheese, some more basil then top with half of the crispy bun with basil-mayo. 

Six easy steps to achieve the burger status.  I am starting to have faith in phonies. Not all fakes are inferior after all. Even if this is not The Burger, an imitation this good ought to be in my rotation.