Smoky Portobello Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped parsley, divided

Generous pinch kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced, or 6 ounces (30g) sliced baby bellas

¼ cup (50g) mayonnaise, plus more for coating the outside of the sandwich

1 small clove minced garlic

½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 slices sourdough bread

6 ounces (175g) combined gouda, cheddar, and smoked mozzarella cheeses, or a combination of your favorite cheeses

1 roasted red pepper, sliced (from a jar, or homemade)

⅓ cup (12g) baby arugula

Directions

Step 1

In a shallow dish, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and parsley with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms to the vinegar mixture, and allow to marinate.

While the mushrooms are marinating, make the aioli. Mix ¼ cup (50g) mayonnaise with garlic and lemon juice, and set aside.

Step 2

Add the mushrooms to a foil-lined baking sheet, discarding leftover marinade.

Broil the mushrooms about 3 inches from the broiler element for 6-7 minutes or until cooked and browned, tossing halfway through. Add to a small bowl, and set aside to cool.

Step 3

To assemble the sandwiches, set a cold skillet on the counter. Spread a slice of bread with mayonnaise, and place it mayo-side-down in the pan.

Spread the side facing you with aioli. Layer with ¼ of the cheese, half of the mushrooms and red pepper, a small handful of arugula, and another ¼ of the cheese.

Spread another slice of bread with aioli, and place it as the top slice on the sandwich with the dry side facing you. Spread the outside of the top slice with mayonnaise, and move the skillet to the burner.

Step 4

Turn the burner to medium-low (erring toward low), and cover. Check every 2-3 minutes to ensure that your bread becomes golden brown as the cheese melts. Your goal is to melt the cheese at the same rate that the bread toasts.

Step 5

Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make the second sandwich. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally, and serve.

Notes

panini - skip the parsley, sub red pepper hummus for the red peppers, can do in the panini press on low rather than using the spatula. If doing 2x portabellas vs baby bellas youll need a splash more of balsalmic and evoo to marinate