Photo by Even Sung, courtesy of Harper Collins
Hudson Valley-based Chef Dan Kluger shares a recipe from his new cookbook for a vegetarian main that’s full of flavor and easy to prepare.
Makes 4 servings
You could easily move this dish to the grill (by grilling the mushrooms rather than roasting them) and serve it as a side with steak, or add a side salad and call it a meat-free meal. If you can find meaty king trumpet mushrooms or maitakes, feel free to use those in place of the portobellos.
Lemon-Pecorino Dressing
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp champagne vinegar
- Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp white miso
- 3 oz. Pecorino cheese, broken into chunks
- 2 tsp thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth, scraping down the side of the blender as needed. The dressing can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
Roasted Portobello Mushrooms
- 1 lb. portobello mushrooms (about 4 large), each cut into 8 wedges
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 450°F and place a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let stand for 20 minutes. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on the rack and roast until well browned all over and crispy around the edges, 10–15 minutes.
For Serving:
- 6 scallions, roots trimmed
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon-Pecorino dressing
- Roasted portobello Mushrooms
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- Flaky sea salt
While the mushrooms roast, grill the scallions. Prepare a medium-hot grill or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush scallions with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill scallions, turning, until softened and charred, 2–3 minutes.
Spread the dressing on a serving platter. Scatter the scallions and mushrooms over the dressing. Sprinkle with parsley and flaky salt and serve.
CHEF’S TIP-We often use Dijon or eggs to help thicken and emulsify vinaigrettes but keep miso in mind whenever you want a creamy dressing. It’s basically umami paste, so it will add loads of savory flavor and plays especially well with cheese. Over the years, I’ve found myself using less Dijon (which is great but adds a spicy acidity you don’t always want) and more miso in dressings, and you will likely find yourself doing the same once you start playing around with it.
From the book CHASING FLAVOR, Techniques and Recipes to Cook Fearlessly by Dan Kluger. Copyright © 2020 by Daniel Kluger. Copyright photographs © 2020 by Evan Sung. Reprinted by permission of Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
