Sunday, February 20, 2011

Portobello Mushroom Deli Slices


I'm no good with rejection, but I persisted because I knew I had a good idea. So I simply kept trying. I would walk up to the deli counter at various grocery stores with a bag full of portobello mushrooms and discreetly ask if they would slice them up like lunch meat for me.

"I don't think we're supposed to do that," I would hear. "It's just gonna tear them up," was another common sentiment. Finally, I discovered an approach that worked. I let a few George Washingtons do the talking for me, and I let my partner in crime know that I would buy the mushrooms even if trying to run them through the slicer tore them up. It always worked out just fine. Yes!

Once you have successfully obtained your medium-thin sliced mushrooms in any way you see fit, you are well on your way to a new world of lunch-y deliciousness. It is best to make a bunch of these slices and use them for sandwiches throughout the week. This recipe made enough for about 5 sandwiches for today's park picnic for 20+ folks; people who like pickles and this amazing stout mustard seemed pleased. Plus you have the scraps of the mushrooms left over for use in a tomato sauce or carbonara.
(I also learned that sandwiches with this homemade pimento cheese were in much higher demand than I expected. Noted, people. I will bring more next time.)

Portobello Mushroom Deli Slices

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons mustard (spicy brown or stout)
1 teaspoon (vegetarian) worchestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic (microplaned)
pinch of salt
plenty of black pepper
4-6 large portobello mushrooms (very thinly sliced)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the first 7 ingredients together until incorporated. Stack mushroom slices into an oven-safe dish and drizzle a little of the dressing between every other layer. Pour remaining dressing over the top of the stacks. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Allow mushrooms to cool throughly before placing them into a covered container and placing in the fridge.

The flavor is very meaty and the texture is perfect. This slices are great for lunch on rye bread with mustard and swiss. They would also make a fantastic reuben. This recipe tastes so much better and is much better for you than the typical processed meat substitute slices. This is something you should try today.

17 comments:

Evie said...

I....had....NEVER thought to do this....crazy awesome. Portobello's are so great because they are easy to treat them like you would any other meat. Would the same work with eggplant (skin on obviously) I wonder?

Lauren RZ said...

You are a total effing wizard at making veggies look like meat. I am continually blown away. This looks fantastic (and yummy)!

~Lauren<3
http://tennesseemirepoix.blogspot.com

*jean* said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
*jean* said...

that looks amazing and you are a genius...i am so making that next weekend.

glorious sandwiches said...

amazing, thanks for the idea. I don't make as many veggie posts as I'd like to, so this is definitely going to be a useful suggestion!

Unknown said...

Brilliant idea. The early poster is right, you can't even tell they are vegetarian.

Shopgirl said...

This is crazy but sounds yummy. I never used to want to have anything to do with these giant mushrooms whose name I can't spell but one little place in Colorado called "The White Chocolate Grill" and its P. mushroom sandwich changed my life. I am a convert.

Cindy said...

Wow...that is an amazing idea and sounds absolutely amazing! :-) I can't wait to try this out.

Unknown said...

Any hints on which Memphis grocery stores had compliant employees?

Is there any chance a food processor could do this, or have you tried?

Thanks for your blog--great reading and inspiration!

Anonymous said...

When I was in prison with some goodfellas we used to slice our garlic with a razor blade. Will have to try that with mushrooms.

Cowgirl said...

OMG---yes! Love the portabella but sliced that thinly has to be the key to ultra enjoyment and uber sandwich satisfacion...me going to try this just as soon as I get back into Canada.

Cheers!

Audrey said...

do you think that using a mandoline would work on these?

The Chubby Vegetarian said...

A- You could try, but I'm pretty sure it would not work out. The best alternative would be to pop the mushroom in the freezer for about 15 minutes (so it's more solid), then slice it as thin as possible with a sharp knife.

Erica said...

Wow, what a great idea. We are big fans of the portobello at our house. Can't wait to try. Love your site, the pictures are lovely.

Unknown said...

freaking G-E-N-I-U-S!!!!!cant wait to try it!

Angie said...

GO Justin, good for you for not giving up, I wouldn't have either...can't wait to try this & see them look at me like I am nuts, ahh the pleasures of being a foodie, it's always entertaining ;))

Joan said...

I just tried slicing them on a mondoline, it worked pretty well. I started with the cap end down sliced on the thin setting (very carefully) perfect thin slices. I only had 2 so I sliced one and I'm going to try to cook it in my Nesco in a oven safe dish, on the rack.