Balsamic Portabello & Parmesan Burger Recipe

For all you non-carnivores as well as those who devour meat, but want something a little different every now and then, here’s one of my favorite, simple recipes that pairs great with pretty much any red wine:

Balsamic Portabello & Parmesan Burgers

Ingredients:
Portabello caps
Garlic
Olive oil
Rosemay
Salt, pepper
Balsamic Vinegar
Parmesan Cheese
Hamburger Buns

Instructions:
Please keep in mind that I actually have no real recipe for this meal. Instead, I simply eyeball and guesstimate all my culinary moves as I go (something that always drove my mom crazy). I’ll try my best to make this as structured and thorough as possible.

-Prepare the mushroom caps by removing stems and wiping tops with paper towels

-Warm a pan on the stove and add olive oil (medium heat)

-Crush some garlic and add it to the oil as well as a sprig of Rosemary

-Once the garlic and rosemary become fragrant in the oil, (have a swig of wine) and then remove the sprig of Rosemary.

-Add the mushroom caps, stem side facing up

-Sprinkle with salt and pepper

-Cook the mushroom caps for about 3 minutes on medium heat

-After 3 minutes, flip mushrooms over and cook for 2 minutes

-Feel free to salt & pepper this side as well

(if the pan becomes dry at this point, you can add a bit more olive oil as necessary)

-Finally, pour just enough balsamic vinegar over the mushroom caps to flow onto the pan.

-Sprinkle or grate fresh parmesan cheese on top of the caps now

-Let the burgers cook for another 2-3 minutes (you can increase the heat a bit to cook it faster).

Preparation:
Add your portabello burger to a hamburger bun, with mayo and mustard (I prefer dijon or the Aoili Garlic Mustard Sauce from Trader Joe’s), and that’s all you need!

Pairing:
Last time I had this meal, I drank it with Renwood Syrah, but I do think any red wine would work. The Portabello mushrooms are extremely hardy and would especially well with Merlot or Pinot Noir.