Grilled Portobello & Pickled Pepper Sandwiches
Truth—these babies were invented because I became obsessed with making homemade focaccia bread and needed more ways to eat it up. Then the stuff between the bread became an even greater love. The combination of marinated and grilled portobello mushrooms, pickled peppadew peppers (they’re more sweet than hot), crisp lettuce, and creamy ricotta-goat cheese spread is sandwich perfection. Just about any crusty bread will do (although BA’s No-Knead Focaccia is pretty “Wow!”).
Ridiculously good summer veggie sandwiches for when you're over burgers (or never wanted burgers to start).
- 1/3 c. olive oil
- 1/4 c. champagne or white wine vinegar
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. pure honey
- 2 tsp. mild Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 9 medium portobello mushroom caps, stemmed and scraped of gills (see TIP A)
- 5 oz. pickled peppadew peppers in vinegar brine
- 1/2 red onion, shaved or very thinly sliced (consider using a mandoline)
- 1/4 c. champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1/3 c. room temperature water
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 8-12 whole peppercorns (optional)
- 2 rosemary or thyme sprigs (optional)
- 2-3 oz. good quality, fresh ricotta cheese
- 2-3 oz. plain or herb goat cheese
- 3 large squares of flat, crusty bread like foccacia or ciabatta (each about 6 x 6 in.)
- 2 c. crisp lettuce leaves
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Whisk together the first 7 ingredients under "Marinated Mushrooms" (olive oil through black pepper) and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (reserve remaining salt) in a spouted measuring cup or bowl.
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Transfer the marinade to a large ziploc bag and add the stemmed and cleaned mushroom caps. Securely close the bag and move the mushrooms around in the bag so that they all get fully coated in the marinade. Rest the bag on its side in your refrigerator for the mushrooms to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours. Flip the bag 1-2 times while marinating to ensure the mushrooms get equal coverage.
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Meanwhile, remove the pickled peppers from their brine (reserve brine) and use a serrated knife to cut them into thin slices. Add the sliced peppers to a clean mason jar or bowl with the thinly sliced onion. Then add 1/3 cup of the reserved pepper brine to the jar or bowl along with the remaining pickling ingredients (vinegar through rosemary or thyme sprigs). Gently stir or shake the ingredients until the sugar and salt dissolve. Tightly cover the jar or bowl and set it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to several days. (For quicker pickling you can leave the covered jar or bowl at room temperature for just 30-60 minutes).
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When you are ready to make the sandwiches, heat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat (about 500-600°). Back inside, combine the goat cheese and fresh ricotta in a small bowl. Blend them together with a firm spatula and set aside until ready to use. (If they are difficult to blend, then let the cheeses sit at room temperature for 20 minutes and try again.)
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Lightly coat the grates of your grill with vegetable oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking. Remove the mushroom caps from the marinade and place them cap-side down on the grill. Discard the marinade. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt over the bottom sides of the mushroom caps and close the grill for 3-4 minutes. Then check the mushrooms for light char marks and flip them to grill for another 3-4 minutes on the opposite side. When done, promptly remove the mushroom caps from the grill and bring them indoors to compose the sandwiches.
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Use a serrated knife to slice the squares of bread through the middle creating a top and bottom half to each sandwich. Smear the ricotta-goat cheese spread across the top halves. Pull fork-fulls of the pickled peppers and onions from the pickling liquid and spread them across the bottom halves. Place the grilled mushroom caps on top of the pickled peppers and onions (usually 3 mushroom caps per sandwich as they shrink significantly when grilled). Then add a fist-full of crisp lettuce to each sandwich and cover with the top, cheese-smeared pieces of bread. Cut each sandwich on the diagonal and enjoy!
TIP A: I recommend removing the gills from your portobello mushroom caps because they often trap a lot of sediment and dirt and are difficult to clean. Also, they tend to get mushy when you grill the mushrooms. Removing the gills is very simple. Simply take a spoon and scrape along the inside of the raw mushrooms until they are mostly clean. Then give them a quick rinse under cold water and set them on a clean paper towel to dry.